Grow Like a Lotus
You could gracefully cope with the challenge of transformation like a lotus. It germinates in the heavy mud, grows in the moving water, and emerges from it as a majestic flower. In the same way, you can begin your transformation in a time of emotional struggle, grow through the uncertain time, and flourish into the person you want to be!
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Here is the Lotus Transformation Journey you can take.
Lotus Journey
Dying Flower
As a once-magnificent lotus flower eventually sheds its petals, the life you knew has gone. Joy and happiness that were once yours have left you. A big part of yourself has died. The loss of your old life evokes deep sadness and other strong emotions.
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Falling and Drifting
Lotus seeds fall into the water and drift with the current. In the same way, you free-fall into the unknown and float with uncertainty and confusion. Your old self has gone, but there is no sign of a new one. Your mind floats back (nostalgia or regret) and forth (hope or anxiety about the future).
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Sinking into the Mud
A lotus seed lands in the mud and patiently waits for germination. You feel like sinking into heavy emotions such as sadness, loneliness, frustration, regret, and unhappiness. Many people take the escape strategy (eating, drinking, shopping, radome dating, binge video watching, overworking, etc.) to avoid painful feelings. But self-transformation will occur only to those who patiently stay in the mud of heavy emotions and gain new realizations from that experience.
Sprouting
After a period of dormancy, the lotus seed cracks open, and a sprout appears. In this stage, you feel an internal shift and a pleasant sense of a new beginning. You now see possibilities and start having discoveries. You glimpse a lay of light in the darkness.
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Growing in the Murky Water
The sprout becomes a stalk and grows in the water. The current pushes it around, but it stands tall and strong. Here, you face uncertainty again. This time, it attacks your confidence in the new path or direction you have chosen. Bright possibilities and opportunities are around you as the sun shines through the water and nourishes the lotus stalk. But you will hardly notice the blessings if you are caught in self-doubt and anxiety about the uncertain future. Birth of a new you will not happen overnight. The time of exploration, setback, confusion, reflection, and growth is necessary for you to bloom.
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Blooming
Finally, the lotus emerges out of the water. It spreads leaves above the surface, and a tight bud opens to full bloom. You are flowering into a new beginning too. It might be something tangible (a new career, relationship, home, place to live, lifestyle, etc.) or acquired qualities (more loving, compassionate, fulfilling, appreciative, etc.). It's the time to celebrate the new chapter of your life. Let your heart dance with joy!
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Nothing in nature follows a straight line. Going up, down, and zigzagging is the natural pattern of transformation. Challenges such as grieving for your old life, anxiety about the unknown future, and heavy emotions can present in each phase of your transformation journey. You may experience some of them even after blooming into the new chapter of your life. When you feel like regressing, you are actually becoming stronger, wiser, and more whole: you ascend in a spiral path. You just need to see it and know how to cope with the challenges of transformation.
Trust nature's way. Believe in your innate resilience and wisdom.
