Category: live

be all you can be, change, comfort zone, Faith, God, hope, Jesus, journey, life, live, New, prayer, purpose, the butterfly journey, travel, women

The Change Zone

livingwholecoaching

Traveling to a new place is sometimes a little scary.  You don’t know what to expect.  You don’t know if the people will be friendly or will you make new friends.  It is just a big unknown.  That is how it is changing your life from one level to the next.

We don’t know what the new level  will be like because we have become accustom to where we are right now.  Most people tend to stay in their comfort zone; well because it is comfortable.  To me the thought of never trying to reach that new level is even more scary.  Never trying to be all that you can be; just living the ordinary life.  For me if I didn’t ever try, I would always wonder if I could have made it to the next level and actually enjoyed the benefits of living that extraordinary life.

I believe you go through a series of emotions and growing pains when you decide to launch yourself into the new level of life.  It isn’t an easy process; that’s why so many of us will decide not to venture out into the new zone.  No one wants to fail, so we stay comfortably in the place that we may or may not be excited about being.  The thought of stepping out is too daunting.

When I decided to walk a life of faith in God and allow Him to grow me into a new level; I never thought I would feel so indifferent.  I know God is great and would always lead me to a better place in life with Him.  But the journey isn’t easy and each day is a challenge just to stay on course.  I can only imagine what Jesus felt as He walked through His journey on earth knowing His ultimate assignment was to die.  I am grateful that He did complete the assignment for you and me!  It allowed us to have hope and  a future!

God is not asking me to die for Him, but He is asking me to walk into this new level with Him.  When I think about Jesus, He didn’t have many who understood His journey and at the end some of the ones closest to Him would betray Him.  But that didn’t matter to Him, He knew He must fulfill His calling.  He did suffer; and we too sometimes will have to suffer in this life in order to reach our full potential in Him.  To complete our assignments.

My prayer for each of you is that you trust God in your journey whatever that may be.  You are better off  finding your true self than remaining in a place of unfulfillment.  More so, I pray that you will have someone there to encourage you through the tough spots that are sure to come.  I vow to be that someone who will come along side you when things get unbearable and pray you through.  I will be that one who you can express your feelings to that will understand, because I too am on my journey and I can relate to the rollercoaster of emotions that come with growing into that person that God would have you to be.

The butterfly’s journey isn’t easy; what you see when you see it fluttering freely through the flowers is the end result of its journey to become what it was meant to be.

Don’t stand still in the place that you are in right now; God has something greater for you!

The Butterfly Journey ~ Lisa

 

a place for you, book, depression, God, grace, Healing, healing and deliverance, journey, land of Oz, life, live, love, purpose, the butterfly journey, women, worthlessness

A Place for You

livingwholecoaching

There have been times in my life when I thought I wouldn’t make it to another day.  The feeling of endless sadness and pain.  So many disappointments, far too many to count.  And this feeling of pure worthlessness.  But I knew intellectually that people cared about me and loved me but this feeling grew larger than my common sense.  It drowned my rational thinking like it was nothing.  It had me teetering on the edge of life itself.

I know I have talked about my depression a lot because it was one of the most difficult times in my life.  I never had experienced something so strong that was not a tangible thing that it baffled my normal thought process.  The more I tried to figure it out the more elusive it became.  You can’t even articulate the feelings in real words.  The more you try the more frustrated you become and you just begin to give up.

I suffered in this place of depression for over 730 days and I know other people have dealt with this terrible sickness for years and never really have come full circle from it.  I pray for those people everyday, for the strength to battle this monster with no face.  This enemy of mind and emotion.  This life threatening fog of doubt, fear and loneliness.

Once I received my full healing and deliverance from God.  I was inspired to write about my journey to this place of darkness and back to a place far better than what I left.  A place of purpose and confidence.  A place of undying love and grace.  I am forever grateful to God for saving me from this place of torment.

You really don’t realize that people all around you suffer from some sort of pain that they don’t openly share with others.  We work beside people who have suffered emotional and physical abuse from their parents.  Others that may have been damaged by things that happened to them in relationships.  They hide these things that have shaped who they are today because it is not accepted.  But we all are in the same boat, yet none of us want to open up and cry for help.  We would rather suffer silently and die a slow death inside ourselves than look like a failure or  be judged by the very ones who say they care.

My story, coming soon in a book form is for those kindred spirits that are lost in the land of Oz (depression) or some other sort of terrible place with no avenue of escape; nowhere to run to; to find release.  The Butterfly Journey is a place where you can share and feel safe that no one will judge where you have been or what has happened to you.  You can come to us and get the encouragement and rest that for so long you have needed.  A place of peace!

We can’t walk this path of life alone.  God is always there and we are his vessels in which to show you that you can be free of all that “stuff” and walk down a new path with your head held up, shoulders back and with an assurance that you do matter and you have purpose in this life.

Won’t you join us?  www.thebutterflyjourney.com or www.facebook.com/thebutterflysjourney

We have a place reserved just for you!  The Butterfly Journey ~ Lisa

connection, danger zone, depression, destiny, God, life, live, people pleaser, purpose, the butterfly journey, women

Danger Zone!

livingwholecoaching

I have realized after a tragic break-down in my life that I was a people pleaser.  While it is not all bad to want to make people happy, or help them fulfil their destiny or reach their goals, it can be a danger zone for you-the pleaser.  I was talking to a woman the other day that was suffering from a typical case of people pleasing and I noticed it right away once she began to tell me her story.

What I discovered about myself is that I was a high level people pleaser, not your normal good friend that wants to help but I wanted to please every person that I connected with no matter what level of connection that we had.  It could be my family members, my boss, my boyfriend, my friends, and sometimes  strangers.  I really was living in a danger zone!

The danger comes because as people pleasers we don’t have a cut-off valve.  We will continue to pour out of ourselves until we fall over dead – literally!  We don’t have an internal stop button that tells us that is enough you can’t do anymore.  Well we really do but we ignore it for the sake of not disappointing others.

Unfortunately, people pleasers will find themselves surrounded by others that will feed on their desire to please.  They may not realize it but those type of people will develop an unhealthy connection to the pleaser and begin to “use” them to their own benefit.

The terrible lesson that I had to learn after my 2-year bout with a deep dark depression is that I needed only to please God!  He loves me  enough to not allow me to pour out more into Him than He was pouring back into me!

He showed me that it is okay to say “no” to some things especially if you know it could possibly take you over the point of being overwhelmed.  You just need to explain your situation and most people will understand.  It is up to the pleaser to stop the pleasing, because we are the ones who know how we feel.

Now I take it very serious about what I involve myself with; if I start to feel overwhelmed with too much stuff to do or being involved with I stop myself.  I am blessed that I have someone in my life now that can see if more clearly than I can and will tell me “you’re doing too much”.

Take an inventory of your life today and make sure you are not on the edge of a danger zone.  Make sure that you are not pouring out more of yourself than you are being poured into.  Let God show you how to line up your life and activity with what pleases Him and live a healthy balanced life.

I would love to hear from other “people pleasers” and I would love to help you get to a place of purpose and balance.

The Butterfly Journey ~ Lisa

 

destiny, dreams, Jesus, life, live, love

Dreams

livingwholecoaching

As a child I used to “daydream”  all the time.  Even as an adult I still find myself daydreaming when I have quiet time which isn’t often.  But I used to love to dream about who I would become, what my life would look like.

When I was young I always dreamt about being a famous interior designer, living in the hub of New York City.  With my fancy penthouse apartment.  I would be in high demand and would only take a select few to be my clients.  It was always a hub of excitement in my all-window corner office and my team and I were making things happen.  It was a vivid dream with all the details in focus.  I even studied interior design for a while.  But I realize that I am a more simple type of person and although New York is wonderful to visit; today my dream is a quiet house on a couple of acres surrounded by woods in the country.

Today my dreams are of a more humble scene.  I’m sitting in a room with a few women sharing about our life’s journey, hurts and disappointments.  I’m helping them move past their place of pain and experience the true love of God.  I see myself holding one woman in my arms and telling her “it’s going to be alright”; we’re going to work through this together.

I dream about my grandkids as teenagers fussing to me about their mother and father won’t let them do anything and I’m giving them sound advice that I can hear my grandmother telling me.

I see myself growing mature with the love of my life there beside me.  We are sharing the one true love with each other that neither of us thought would come our way.  We are blessed!

I see myself running a successful conglomeration of businesses; building a legacy for the generations to come.  I feel proud and satisfied with my life.  Those are part of the dreams that I dream.

And in the end I see me running up to and hugging Jesus around His waist, for all the love that He deposited in me my entire life.  I thank Him like never before for having my eternal home prepared just for me.  And I see on His face that He is well pleased with what I accomplished in His name, for His glory!

Dreams are meant to be realized!  Don’t just allow them to be real only in your mind.

Today I challenge you to dig up those dreams that you have.  The ones that never went away but matured as you grew up.  Go back and find them and take one step toward your destiny today!  Make your life a life worth living.  It is never too late.

Tell me your dreams.

The Butterfly Journey ~ Lisa

 

 

be all you can be, bucket list, life, live, New, potential in God, start living, women

Start Living!

livingwholecoaching

Are you satisfied with your life today?  Are you stuck in the normal routine rut and can’t get out?  Well try something new!  It doesn’t have to be something elaborate just different.  If you have always driven by a store on your “normal” route to and from work but never stopped in to see what they offer, today go inside.  If you want to change careers or desire to start your own business but don’t know where to start, sign up for a class at  your local community college to get more information.

I believe it is each person’s civic duty to be all that they can be.  Or is that in the army?  Anyway, you get my drift, start something different in your life and live a little.  We all know that life is short, so why leave this earth without ever experiences some of the exciting moments it has to offer.

I had a friend that passed away a year or so ago, she had worked and retired, she had raised her children and had the short opportunity to know her grand-child.  She was just getting started to live her life but unfortunately death came to knock on her door and she had to go.  Don’t have regrets at the end of your time.  Use your life to its fullest potential.  Take risks and find your “sweet” spot in life.

Create your “bucket list” of things you want to accomplish before you die.  Don’t wait, do it today!  Life is worth living!

The Butterfly Journey ~ Lisa