The year of the emerging woman is what I’m claiming it to be. It excites me as I begin to discover and define myself as “emerging.” Each morning when I get up, I can hardly wait to carry on the process. Since maintaining the status quo almost hurts, I can tell it’s happening. By attempting to keep things the same, I am limiting my options for the future because I am only able to see my current situation.
That must be the exact feeling the butterfly has just before emerging from her cocoon… or the baby chick, before she cracks the shell to freedom. No matter what, they must emerge into the new world, even though they have no idea what it is like.
Every time I’m about to depart from a previous pattern, a previous life, or a previous mode of existence, I get that sensation. When the breakthrough occurs, my thoughts almost become disorganized, and I have the feeling that this is exactly what was intended all along.
That’s how I felt right before I started writing my first book. I fought it for a very long time. I feared delving into my sorrow in the loss of my son, but a voice inside of me kept calling, “do it, and it will change your life forever. Giving back is part of your legacy.” That voice was right.
The word “emerging” is an adjective that comes from the core verb “emerge.” See if you can relate to any of these definitions in the dictionary:
1. To rise and come forth into view
2. To come into existence
3. become obvious, significant, or prominent.
4. Recover (to emerge from or survive) a difficult or demanding situation is the one that most excites me because it relates to my life.
Despite being something that was always intended to be, the emerging woman is drawn to the promise of becoming more.
I first saw my mother go through this kind of change when I was a young child. She had the stunning good looks of a Hollywood star and was naturally beautiful. She raised five children while maintaining a spotless home.
Our parents gave us a life filled with adventure. My father was in the Navy, so before I turned 12, we relocated 12 times. We would take our station wagon on an amazing zig-zag tour of the United States on every journey to a new home. Up until we arrived at the location of our new home, we went to every park, historical location, and monument.
Mom loaded the station wagon with fresh apples, games, pillows, blankets, and peanut butter on Wonder Bread. I still associate the scent of apples with long-ago road trips.
To get through the long hours in the car, Mom and Dad would frequently belt out songs from the Music Man or High Society, and we would join in, knowing every word because they had played the songs so frequently on the HiFi.
Mom became restless as we got older and needed her less and less. During the time that her father was at work, I would hear her listening to Earl Nightingale on the radio. One of the early leaders in the self-help sector was Earl. One of the phrases that memorialized him as a great thinker and inspirational mentor was: “The thoughts we have become who we are.”
My mother started to show signs of becoming the woman God had called her to be at that point. She never had any prior experience running a restaurant when she decided to open one. Because failure wasn’t an option, she didn’t care. She acquired as much knowledge as she could, and somehow her restaurant was a phenomenal success.
Mom’s goal was to establish a culture and environment where people wanted to congregate rather than just a place to eat. Customers would queue up outside the door to get some pie, lunch, and conversation. The majority of the people were known by name by Mom, and they all knew it was her. We all worked there, including my sisters, brothers, and I, and it became a part of our family life.
I’m so proud of my mother for teaching me that life has cycles and that you should just follow your heart if you feel compelled and have faith in your abilities. She had no experience other than providing for our family as I watched her build that restaurant to its success.
Are you in the emergence stage? Have you considered what, above all else, you want to accomplish?
Here are a few tips for paving the way to your emergence:
1. Do you feel a calling, a transition, or a pull to consider something new entering your life? Do you have the desires of your heart? If so, can you currently name it or is it just a general restlessness inside?
2. Set your intention that this year will be different from the last one by picking a time and location to imagine the possibilities. jot down those dreams.
3. What actions do you think you need to take to make this dream a reality? (such as education, financial strategies, support from your spouse, training, etc.)
4. Determine the issues at hand. Could it possibly be a change in a job, a romantic relationship, or a course of study?
5. Can you live your life the way it is now while incorporating your calling, or are there things you must change or let go of in order to start the transformation?.
6. List five to seven objectives you want to accomplish over the next 12 months. Waiting until January 1st is not necessary! Goals are specific, actionable steps that can be taken right away to shape your life. Give them a deadline after outlining your motivations in writing. For example, instead of saying I want to lose weight, write down, “I want to lose 10 pounds. I want to accomplish this goal because I know that being at my ideal weight makes me feel more confident and energized.” Due date: April 1.
7. Here’s the exciting part… Spend a few moments picturing how your life will be once you have emerged as a woman. Think about how your morning will begin, your day will go, and how your evening will conclude while closing your eyes. Imagine everything, including the outfits you’ll wear, the work you’ll do, the appearance of your workplace, your target market, and even the destination for your next vacation. As if you were narrating your day in detail to a special someone, write everything down. Over the coming weeks, read it aloud a few times.
It’s very likely you’ll fulfill these dreams because of the actions you’ve taken! My mother did, and I’m so proud of her and thankful that she showed that, despite the difficulties life will continue to throw your way, the willingness to change will lead to new opportunities.
In order to fully live your life, you must seize opportunities as your heart calls you to do so. You create space for the transformation by making modifications and changes. It can also mean saying good-bye and finding closure in circumstances that don’t work for you any longer. Be not afraid; your heart is calling you to your own greatness.
The secret is in the thinking, and maybe Earl Nightingale was right: “The thoughts we have become who we are.” It undoubtedly worked for my mother, and I’m so proud that she had the guts to genuinely believe she could.
