A Life Bursting with Potential

Suggestions for evolving a new life

The first snowdrops, aconites and celandines of early spring can give us a sense of exhilaration and gratitude for the sheer joy of their existence. Dormant for many months, they nestled in the nurturing earth fed by rain, nutrients and sunshine, resting at first, before slowly and oh so naturally beginning to build up strength and stamina for the next triumphant showing. Their colours of white and gold herald the freshness and brightness of spring and their most subtle perfume is said to be the release of the very essence of their souls. They sing to us when otherwise all around may be bleak and cheerless, bringing colour to our wintry landscape and the certain knowledge that spring and summer are on the way.

In some ways this cycle of decomposition, regeneration and renewal reflects our own life with its ups and downs, disappointments and high spots, struggles and successes. We can recognize that even in the depths of winter or our darkest hours such as those following bereavement, we too are resting until equilibrium returns and life moves relentlessly on, presenting us with new challenges or opportunities.

Returning to our early spring flowers, they often appear in clumps and we enjoy their beauty en masse yet each single flower has a unique beauty (and beauty as we know, is in the eye of the beholder). They appear in different sizes, in varying shades of colour or have distinctive markings. Each has the potential to metamorphose into a variation of itself and occasionally a ‘sport’ comes along to create a whole new variety. Such is the wonder of nature with or without intervention by man.

Any major life change, such as bereavement, can offer us a similar opportunity for growth, development and the flowering of aspects of potential, hitherto buried deep within our subconscious. First there is the period of resting or hibernation, whilst we begin to adjust to our loss and single status, followed by the realization that we are now solely responsible for making our own decisions. It may be easier to do what others would have us do rather than work out who we truly are or what we actually want, so, the temptation is to continue doing what we think our partner would have approved of, or to carry on doing the same things and thinking the same way as we’ve always done. However, the natural state of existence is to grow, expand and evolve, so by holding onto old habits and thought patterns, we may be swimming against the tide of nature and unnecessarily inhibiting our own inherent ability to become more of our unique selves.

Every single living thing has within its blueprint, the ability to evolve in its own unique way. We may choose to use others as role models to lead us forward by inspiration and example, but our true potential is to become more of whom we already are and in our widowed state we are offered the opportunity of discovering that just that. More loving, giving, creative, adventurous, wise, skillful, joyful, courageous, active, generous, learned…. in fact whatever we want to be. Transformation comes from within and for that to happen we first need to find our passion – the fire that motivates and the energy that will move us. And by looking beyond our personal desires to discover how they might benefit the family, local community, country or even the whole world, we will find the encouragement and support needed to reach out and let wonderful things happen. Everything man ever created began first with a simple thought followed by the desire to make it a reality and it’s quite magical how, once focused, the appropriate people are attracted to us to help support our intentions.

Taking an example, it might be that you love animals, have very strong views about illegal animal trafficking and take in stray cats (personal), which in turn leads to cat sitting (friends and family level). Then you might be invited to help in a local animal sanctuary (community level). By becoming knowledgeable about a certain breed, you eventually become a specialist and are invited to write an article for a newspaper or specialist magazine (national level). This provides the platform for you to alert the public to the plight of imported animals and before you know it, you’ve created the momentum for changes in the laws governing the import, distribution and owning of certain rare species (global level). All this would have initially been fuelled by a love of animals and concern for their welfare and the energy would have come from a passionate desire to see an end to illegal trafficking.

We can all start from where we’re at, discover what stirs and excites us and then feel the energy or spark of enthusiasm that will facilitate its coming into being. Looking outside and beyond our small widowed selves we naturally expand, feel bigger and recognize more of our own potential. Each of us has the innate ability to become more and more of our true selves, and from that place to develop lifestyles that fit perfectly with who we truly are and friendships that are based on inner confidence and awareness, mental clarity, openness and integrity.

Think it and it already is!