Sometimes we learn best when we see ourselves reflected in the eyes of another. It might be through a family member, a best friend, or even through a miracle in nature. And so, last summer, I had the privilege of hosting a very special guest in our home to teach me a few things about life: a monarch chrysalis.

Previously, my dad watched this creation from the very beginning as a tiny pin-prick of an egg on a milkweed plant in his garden. From there, a tiny caterpillar hatched, grew into a big caterpillar, and then created a special cocoon for itself where the magic began to weave.

Upon my dad's urging, Bill and I picked up this beautiful chrysalis, hanging from a branch, and took it home to nurture until it was ready to leave. Our new houseguest was a brilliant green cocoon with perfectly arranged dots of gold decoration. This was our first experience with a chrysalis and we weren't quite sure what to expect. So we watched. And we waited. They tell us that a large butterfly will come out of that small green chrysalis, I guess.

You probably know how the story goes, but a week later, a monarch emerged and flew away. In the final days and hours before this monumentous event, though, my new learning about myself and about life took place.

The butterfly's journey taught me:

Everything in life is a process that cannot be rushed. First the cocoon hanging on the branch was an opaque emerald green. Within a few days it became more transparent and we could see the faint outline of a butterfly inside. And during the last hours, the cocoon skin was fully transparent and we could start to see the orange and black stripes folded up neatly inside!

What was taking it so long? We wanted it to come out now, especially before Bill left for the day so he that could see it emerge, too. Everything in life is a process that cannot be rushed. The butterfly knew this. It needed to take its own time to be ready…and not emerge one moment before. We tend to like immediate gratification in our lives—we want things to happen when we want them to happen. Not so, teaches the butterfly. Slow down, be still, and be patient. When the time is right, magnificent things will happen.

Trust the process of life; we don't have to have all the answers. What's the butterfly doing now? Why won't it come out? How does it fit in there? Where do the gold dots come from? Why is it waiting so long? Were we ever filled with questions. And we wanted to know all the answers! Did it really matter anyway?

What if we just trusted that everything was happening exactly as it was meant to unfold? Maybe that "trust" would have allowed us to back off and take a deep breath and focus our energy on simply letting the butterfly "be." What if we reveled in the mystery and beauty of it all instead of worrying about the details? Trust the process of life; we don't have to have all the answers. As we know in nature, the sun will always rise and the sun will always set. When we let go of the details, we are free to experience the true beauty in life.

When you are ready: BE BOLD AND GO! And so the long-awaited birth came one morning. The chrysalis on the branch wavered a little bit and then the folded up butterfly inside slowly and neatly broke through the bottom of its casing…and emerged! I now recognized this creature as the familiar beautiful monarch I have known since childhood. I was afraid that it would take off before I could snap a picture. But no, this miraculous insect took its sweet time getting comfortable being out in the elements, learning to flap its wings, and essentially catching its bearings to this new lifestyle.

I watched in awe as the butterfly pumped fluid through its wings and proudly showed off its wing span—it seemed to grow right in front of my eyes! Sometimes in life, we shrink back and don't shine in all our glory. The butterfly reminded me of the importance to show life what you've got! Shine your gifts and talents. Be bold and claim your place in the world!

This beautiful being seemed pretty comfortable just hanging around a while. Sometimes we try to rush things and check things off our "list" as quickly as we can. What if we took a moment to breathe, get comfortable, and then plunge in? I bet we would be more effective. But you know what? After some time, when the butterfly was ready, it took off. Through the trees and straight for the bright blue sky. It allowed itself to take the necessary time to prepare, and when it became ready…look out! When you are ready: BE BOLD AND GO! It certainly didn't get too attached to its old way of doing things or to the branch that it called home for the past week. When we let go of our old "stuff," we become ready to boldly stretch our wings and soar to new heights.

Thank you to my new co-habitant on our planet earth for allowing me to see myself reflected in all your glory. I will not forget your lessons. Actually, how could I forget when you reminded me just the next day at lunch as you flew directly over my head on the patio??? Hmmm. Thank you!

How well do you trust in the process of life and allow yourself to shine? Take the first step toward living your Best Life and sign-up now for an Ultimate Living Jump-Start to close the gap between where you are now and where you want to be!

Michelle Stimpson is a Professional Coach who empowers her clients to slow down, get clear on priorities, and create a life of purpose. She leads an "Ultimate Living" program for women who, in the busyness of today's world, want a simple solution to get out of overwhelm…and stay out forever! Learn more about Michelle.

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