Rising from Within
Embracing Your Chrysalis and Stepping into Your Authentic Light
I had the extreme honor and joy to lead a keynote at the 2023 Ina Wellness Fest in Guam. This post is an adaptation from the keynote on how we approach the changes, challenges, and transitions we encounter throughout our life. Having tools and awareness to pull us through the darkest of the chrysalis moments, to hold ourselves in these times of uncertainty, and allow trust to carry us through is the anchor to safe transformations.
Watch the full speech from Guam on my YouTube channel:
I’ve experienced my share of intense challenges. My parents divorced when I was 8, and I moved from home to home and city to city for almost all of my childhood. I went to about 8 different schools between elementary and high-school, and my HS best friend Heather passed away suddenly after a routine surgery when we were 20. I was also in an abusive relationship for 5 years who was emotionally, psychologically and physically violent.
And in 2023, I lost my beautiful mama to cancer.
All of those intense periods were hard to face. And most of the time, we try to do anything we can to avoid feeling so damn challenged.
But, that’s not what I’ve learned about showing up for my life. And there was no way I was going to run away from facing my mother’s final moments on this earth. Still, nothing prepares you for the experience of losing a parent. And I got to be there for every single moment of it all.
Each one of us has, or will be faced with moments that get close to breaking us. The loss of a loved one, a break up, the ending of a long & deep friendship, a crushing financial setback, or a traumatic and painful experience. The obstacles and hardships that challenge us are inevitable. They’re inescapable.
Life isn’t about avoiding these experiences. It is about HOW we approach them… with love, resilience, strength, commitment, and grace.
It’s said that change occurs when you become what you ARE, not when you try to become what you’re not.
MOVING THROUGH THE CHRYSALIS
I’ve built up the tools and awareness to pull me through the darkest of the chrysalis moments, to hold myself in these times of uncertainty, and allow trust to carry me through. It’s been my work to share these tools, rituals and practices with my community.
Why not LEAN IN instead of hiding? When we lean in, we accelerate the growth process and the upgrading of our spiritual software. It is our responsibility to get out of survival mode so we can move through our lives in the driver's seat instead of feeling dragged along. And change is the MOST constant thing we can rely on as a collective. How can you open yourself up to embracing it?
Embracing the space b e t w e e n change or the chrysalis and also known as the negative space or the "liminal" phase, can be a transformative and an empowering experience. This is where our inner creator exists and the artist is born. We know this space as children, where we really sit with and process emotions but along the way we hurry to rush through it, to numb out, to escape.
PRACTICES FOR NAVIGATING CHANGE
There are the practices that allow you to slow down when you're in that chrysalis period of change and healing, when you’re not yet through to the other side. They allow you to actually honor it and acknowledge that stage rather than rushing through it and looking toward the end goal.
Recognize your transitional nature of being: Acknowledge that change is a constant part of life, and transitions are natural and necessary for personal growth.
Embrace the uncertainty: Instead of resisting or fearing uncertainty, try to embrace it as an opportunity for learning and self-discovery. Cultivate a sense of curiosity and openness to new possibilities.
Practice self-reflection: Use the transition as an opportunity for self-reflection and introspection. What is important to you? What do you want to achieve? What are you ready to release?
Call in support: Surround yourself with a positive support network that understands and respects your journey. Surround yourself with the people that feel like sunshine.
Embrace the UGLY: Instead of avoiding or resisting discomfort, try to embrace it as a catalyst for growth.
Tend and care for YOURSELF, above all: Taking care of your physical, mental, and emotional well-being is crucial during transitions. Engage in activities that nurture your overall health, such as exercise, mindfulness, journaling, or spending time in nature.
TRUST: Understand that meaningful change takes time, and it's okay to move at your own pace. Trust in yourself and the journey, knowing that you have the resilience and inner resources to navigate the transition successfully.
In the midst of the chrysalis, we’re faced with the gruesome work of transformation to become your fullest expansion. Your experiences are valid. The only way out is through.
As we delve into the chrysalis, we encounter the profound work of transformation, where we shed old patterns and embrace our fullest expansion. It may be uncomfortable, it may be scary, but it is through this process that we find our truest selves.
Remember, your experiences are valid, and the only way to emerge from the chrysalis is to move through it. Embrace the journey, embrace the discomfort, and emerge as the vibrant, authentic, and powerful being that you are destined to be.
May you find the courage and inspiration to navigate your own metamorphosis with integrity, trust, and confidence. Embrace change, honor the liminal space, and allow your transformation to unfold in its own divine time.
