Article by Karen Knott
We all know Mother Nature has an amazing capacity to inspire and delight but the process of metamorphosis really is something else! It’s hard to believe that the transformation of caterpillar to butterfly is even possible, but thanks to the wonders of time lapse photography (and YouTube!) we can even watch this truly remarkable process unfold before our very eyes…….
Now you may well be thinking that this is all very interesting but wondering why I’m talking about caterpillars, cocoons and butterflies. The answer is, because metamorphosis is a brilliant analogy in helping us understand and appreciate the equally transformative transition many of us go through when we hit our 50’s.
Now I realise that if you are feeling more like the caterpillar than the butterfly at present, all this talk about a miraculous metamorphosis must seem an unlikely, if not impossible outcome. However, this is the very time that it’s worth being reminded of just how transformative a place this can be and that you are not going to be hanging around in a state of suspended animation forever!
Transformation is a struggle even for the butterfly – just think of all the internal change that goes on before there’s a breakthrough! But just as a caterpillar changes from one existence to another and emerges from its cocoon, so can we!
There is however, a fundamental difference between us and caterpillars! I know, I know – there had to be a catch somewhere! You see for the caterpillar, the potential to become a beautiful butterfly is right there in its DNA – it is pre-programmed to build a cocoon and begin the whole transformative process. It just happens.
Not quite so for us. We may recognise that we do indeed have the potential within us and that fulfilment, purpose and more is possible, but sometimes, instinct alone is not enough to bring about a complete transformation. Fortunately for us though, we have something more than just instinct – we have choice.
We can choose to transform our current existence into the life of our dreams and instead of feeling powerless to affect our midlife experience, we can choose to use our time in the cocoon of change to work out precisely how to make the transformation happen.
Karen Knott is a personal development coach and the founder of Midlife Matters who specialises in working with midlife women to help them make the very most of the positive opportunities to be found in this transitional life stage. You’ll find
information and resources as well as a FREE eProgramme to get you started
Related posts:
- Throwing Off The Midlife Invisibility Cloak
- Love Your Midlife Body This Christmas
- 6 tips for dealing with Midlife Divorce or Separation
- Challenging The Myths of Midlife
- Six Ways to Combat Midlife Stress
