52CP32: Metamorphosis

Hello again! This is a few (13) hours later than I'd hoped, but here's this week's challenge:

A month or two ago I read an article by life coach Martha Beck regarding human metamorphosis. She states that when we undergo major life transitions we do psychologically what insects do physically, and went on to outline four phases and how to cope with them. Follow the link to read the entire article (well worth it!), but here's a brief rundown:

1. Dissolving: "When real metamorphosis has begun...we may feel that everything is falling apart, that we're losing everyone and everything. Dissolving feels like death, because it is - it's the demise of the person you've been." She then goes on to say that at this stage you should focus on the immediate - the present moment, nurturing yourself in small, immediate ways, and allowing yourself to grieve - and recognizing that this is a relatively passive phase - it's not something you do, but rather something that happens to you.
2. Imagining: "You'll know you're entering Phase 2 when your mind's eye starts seeing images of the life you are about to create... The old order simply seems wrong, and you'll begin reordering your outer situation to reflect your inner rebirth. Phase 2 is all about images: making them up, making them clear, making them possible. Moving through this stage, you'll start to feel an impulse to go from dreaming (imagining possibilities) to scheming (planning to bring your vision to fruition). Write down both dreams and schemes, then gather information about how you might create them."
3. Re-forming: "As your dreams become schemes, you'll begin itching to make them come true. You'll be motivated to do real, physical things to build a new life. And then...you'll fail. Repeatedly." Martha then goes on to say that she's never seen a significant scheme succeed on the first try, and that you will briefly re-visit the previous phases as you continue to build your dream and tweak as necessary.
4. Flying: "Phase 4 is the payoff, the time when your new identity is fully formed and able to fly."

I have obviously scaled-down and simplified the process and what to do at each stage. Again - I recommend following the link to read the full article, but hopefully you glean enough information from my synopsis to get the idea.

For my card this week, I had in mind a quote from Alice in Wonderland, where Alice is conversing with the caterpillar. She asks him how you become a butterfly, and he responds, "You must want to fly so badly that you are willing to cease being a caterpillar." Often (at least in my case), we cling to what we know - whether it's working or not - because the unknown is scarier than whatever it is we're clinging to. I'm reminding myself ( and - by default - all of you) to let go of the fear and embrace the change!

Stamp: Inkadinkado Patterned Bugs; Ink: Versamark, Versafine Onyx Black; Paper: DCWV Mariposa mat stack, DCWV Photoreal, vellum, black; Accessories/tools: Detail clear embossing powder, Martha Stewart and Fiskars butterfly punches, Prima flowers, Offray ribbon

I hope your week is amazing, and here's Mr. Linky for you: