Thursday, August 15, 2013

The Turtle Vs The Butterfly

Why it is better to be The Butterfly rather then The Turtle during Hard Times

This post is based purely on past experiences and is meant as a reminder to myself and to others why it is always better to be a butterfly.

First let me explain what I mean by being one or the other. In literal terms, a butterfly is constantly flying from one spot to another and are admired by many due to their colourful nature. Turtles can also be cute (dependant upon your definition of cute, I don't like them), but are slow moving creatures and as a result things are always passing them by. More importantly they retreat into their shells when they are scared instead of moving forward and facing things head on. 

Everyone, unfortunately is guaranteed to go through multiple periods of hard times in their life. At first thought, many people would love to just skip past those times and live on cloud 9 until eternity. However true appreciation of those "good times", only emerge after one has stuck it out through the bad.

"When I thought I couldn't go on, I forced myself to keep going. My success is based on persistence not luck" Estee Lauder

 To make sticking out the bad times bearable, I recommend being a butterfly rather than a turtle. And no, this is not easier said then done. It is quite easy and enjoyable and eventually will become part of your routine. You might not likes the sounds of it as you are sitting there down in the dumps, but it is not a hard task and it will only help you on your path to happiness. There are some things you can do to help move yourself from the turtle category to the butterfly side.

  • Employ my say yes to everything strategy. I learned this one from a good friend and I took a hint from the movie "Yes Man". I've done this one before and it is listed in my 12 Bricks to Happiness post. When someone invites you out to a bbq, a club, a dinner or even a mid-day chill session - you say yes. Regardless of if you want to go or not, you put on your best pair of shoes and you go. That is only part one though, once you get to your destination you can not revert back to being a turtle. Grab a drink, take your shoes off and enjoy the company you are with. In other words, it is called keeping yourself busy.
  • Putting on your Sunday Best.....Everyday! I learned this one from a mother of a friend of mine. Everyday when you wake up, or before going out somewhere (regardless of
    location) - get dressed as if you are going to run into your celebrity crush or a film crew looking for someone that fits your description! I don't care if you are going to the grocery store, if you look good you will feel good, it is an age old theory that have been proven true.
  • Find a new passion/hobby, or restart an old one! For me it was Bikram Yoga - which if you look online looks more like a cult. However you can't spell culture without cult. And for me Bikram Yoga has only helped infuse positivity into my life. I am only on week two and I feel fantastic. Check out my previous post to keep track of my progress. When you immerse yourself into your hobby or passion, whatever it is that is bothering you will not be able to take up as much space in your mind. 
"Laughter attracts Joy and releases Negativity.......Joy and Depression can not reside in the same space" Steve Harvey 

Those three things seem like such simple things that I am sure you have heard before, but they have always helped me and are easily forgettable. Even if you have it fake it at first - pretending to be excited to go somewhere when you really rather would be at home watching Meredith Grey drink tequila - once you get to where your going, if you allow yourself to have fun you will not regret it. Challenge your self to do these things, let a few friends know that you are playing the yes game, and they will help keep you on track. Try not to think or talk about the things that are bothering you or bringing you down during this time. Set aside a time to deal with your problems so they don't continue to interfere with your everyday life. Try seeing your problems in a positive light as well, because no matter how bad a situation can get, something positive will always come of it. The best life lessons come from the crappies of situations. So don't a turtle and crawl back in your shell to retreat. You can definitely move at your own pace but in the process be a butterfly!
 


 


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