Series: Listening to The Butterflies: More Than Surviving—Thriving!
Posted on November 22, 2021 by Harriet Harris, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
Self-acceptance is the first step towards improving our outlook and claiming our happiness!
My love for butterflies spans my whole life! As a child gardening with my grandmother, I was always
fascinated and delighted by these creatures. As a child, I spent many days capturing
them by hand and trying to store them in jars, which lids I punched holes. My grandmother
stopped this practice though, reminding me that all living creatures desire to be free!
Years later, calling myself an “Inspirational photographer” I learned how to “capture” these
creatures again; without touching or harming them in any way. I also carried my love for
gardening into adulthood, planting flowers I know they readily enjoy. With a quiet, stealthily approach,
I can now photograph them with ease. I have been fortunate enough to have
several photography exhibits, displaying their awesomeness!
Years ago, reviewing my photos in preparation for exhibits, I always tried to select the most “perfect,”
specimens (wings intact, without damage or blemishes). But what I realize now is
that they, like all of us are still beautiful even though our bodies may not be “perfect;” mine
certainly is not!
My photographs show butterflies soaring gardens and skies without limitations, though
sometimes missing parts of their wings. Shamelessly they present their beauty for all the
world to see. Instinctively this is all they know how to do. They do not compare themselves
to or imitate other creatures. They effortlessly bring beauty wherever they go! They continue
not just surviving but thriving, living their fullest, most glamorous life! We can all learn from
them!
How often do we look into the mirror and decide what we see there is inferior, lacking or unacceptable?
Do we see some so-called “flaw”, which we can do nothing about? Are we
judging ourselves by the standards set by others? Are we reminded of some past trauma
which has colored how we feel about who we see? What if, instead of seeing what we consider flaws,
we looked for at least one thing that we think is nice? What if we did this daily, finding
some new pleasant feature every day? What if we identify the negative voice we hear and
realize it is not ours at all, but one which belongs/belonged to someone else? Once we
identify it as not being ours, what if we turn down/off its volume? What if we presented
ourselves like the butterflies? It is said that they: “Go where ever they please and please
where ever they go”! Self-acceptance is obviously the key to their contentment and lasting happiness.
May full self-acceptance be the key to our finding happiness as well!
