The MUSE in the Morning!: Growth Periods

The Morning Muse:
Growth periods are periods of time when you are growing out of old beliefs or letting go of the past in order to move forward. They often occur after you've made some major strides forward with your life. Just like if your body is growing extra fast you can experience "growing pains". Well, if you are growing extra fast emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, you can also experience pain as you try to adjust to your new perspective. If you're on a journey of self-discovery or personal development, and you feel like you're often taking three steps forward and one step back, that one step back is a growth period. Growth periods can feel, for lack of a better word, ICKY. Some other feelings associated with growth periods are depressed, angry, irritable, sad, uncomfortable, anxious, and insecure. However, once you understand that these growth periods serve a purpose in your life, and that they are natural, it can help ease the discomfort. Take solace in knowing that a growth period is a time to catch-up, regroup, and process. Ever since I learned about growth periods I give myself permission to have them. If I am feeling sad, for example, and I know that a lot as been changing in my life (even if it has been changing for the better and it's not something that I would have thought would make me sad) I allow and honor that sadness. With the sadness I am processing the changes. And since I have given myself permission to have these growth periods, and I have released my resistance, my growth periods don't last as long as they once had and they are not nearly as intense. Always remember, "that which we resist, persists." So, today, for anyone who is feeling a little off, perhaps a little icky, I encourage you to embrace it. I am. I know that I have been flying high speed on my life journey lately and I need a little time to regroup. So I welcome this uncomfortable feeling I woke up with. It reminds me that I am making strides with my life. Yay!

Gratitude Review:
1. I am grateful that if I don't know how to do something I can easily find out how. I have access to the internet and to "how to" books. But, the best resource, and the one I call on the most, is my friends. My friends don't always know the answer, but they usually know someone who knows the answer or at least knows someone else who can help. It's kind of like the "six degrees of separation" concept. If I ask my friend how to do something and she doesn't know how but asks another friend, I will usually find someone within six people who knows the answer. And, it doesn't usually take six degrees. I often find it takes three degrees. Anyway, yesterday I asked my friend how to create CDs with recorded voice. She didn't know, but she called a good friend of hers. Her friend knew exactly how to do it, and I will be contacting her today. So, I am so grateful for how easy it is to attain knowledge, and I am grateful for the network of resources that start with having good friends.
2. I am so thankful for the 20% off coupon I got from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. It came in the mail last week. It was just sitting on my counter. I had no plans to use it. Then, my space heater broke yesterday. (If you've read my blog in the past, you know that my apartment gets really cold...apparently I've mentioned it a few times...as my friend pointed out to me yesterday) So, when my heater broke, even though it was a pretty shabby space heater to begin with, I was momentarily in shock....but then I saw the 20% off coupon. So, I went right over to BB & B. Now I have a heater that works even better and I am so happy. It was a fabulous lesson in life. Sometimes things have to fall apart in order to seek out newness in your life. So, thanks to the coupon, my old heater, my new heater, and BB&B for bringing warmth to my life...and reminding me that everything happens for a reason.
3. I am grateful for my family. My family lives on the East Coast and I only get to see them a few times a year. So...even though they are not part of my daily routine here in Cali, there are still on my mind and in my heart. My mom and sis are coming out to visit next week and I am really excited to see them and have some girl time (sorry pops).

Daily Musings:
If you find yourself in a growth period, be gentle with yourself and let go of your resistance. Remember this quote: