You have seen the movie. First, there is the painful drama: Awful, abusive father and/or ditched by creepy lover and/or loses job.

The protagonist is struggling and miserable, and then experiences her or his quantum shift in mere weeks.

Something fortuitous happens and she wakes up. She is suddenly able to make peace with her father, or ditch the creep and meet a new, fabulous partner, or find the perfect job. Then, she sips a cup of coffee and looks back at the crossroads that brought her this new wonderful life.

It’s a miracle. All her dreams come true. We walk out of the theater with a smile on our lips and possibly a wonderful new song in our heads that will hit the top of the charts.

But real awakenings and transformations are not graceful. There is no music or shortcut to the next level of an upgraded consciousness.

Often, transformations are raw, messy and painful until we pass through our old life to be happy, at peace, or in love with the “right” person.

Sometimes, we cry. We muddle through confusion and self-doubt and trauma. Sometimes, we go two steps forward and one step back. Bad dreams from the past may reemerge. Formerly healed body stuff resurfaces. The process of awakening can mean feeling overwhelmed by our past. Old, forgotten wounds can be ripped open. We feel exposed.

We are forced to get real and be honest with ourselves. We are compelled to step up a level. We change because it is too painful to stay as we are.

Transformation doesn’t come to everyone. There must be some opening; some willingness to change and grow. Sometimes, it comes when we just don’t think we can stand our lives a minute longer. It comes when we stop making excuses. It comes when we stop lying to ourselves that we are comfortable when we are not.

Then, without notice we suddenly begin to feel liberated. Something releases and we get a fresh perspective. Something within us surrenders and we feel free. Oh, glorious transformation! That time is incredible, as we just let go and die to the old self. The new us emerges victorious.

This year, we will all be offered many opportunities for transformation.  I shudder with dread and with expectation all rolled into one.

If you would like assistance to speed your transformations, call for an appointment for a session to see me. First appointment in January is 20% off. It is so much fun to work with people in transformation. 512-444-9777

Wishing you gentle transitions in 2020,

Robin Heart Shepperd, D.C.

Are you unhappy with the way your life is going? Sometimes we get stuck in a situation that feels non-productive, painful, and/or boring. As partners with life, we all have both stagnant and chaotic times.

Perhaps things had been sailing along pleasantly. We were comfortable to varying degrees. Or we begin to realize we have sunk into a quagmire of mediocrity. It is so comfortable, so familiar to sit in our puddles of numbness, judgments, laziness, frantic work, unhappy relationships and other less-than-optimal attitudes and positions.

Then something dramatic happens that shakes our world. We lose our job. Our loved one leaves us. We have an auto accident. And we ask, “Why did this happen to me?”

Life is about change. If we are not transforming, the Universe nudges us and challenges our current reality. We can either create change and personal growth ourselves regularly, or the Universe will take out a cattle prod to assist us to that end. Frankly, I prefer to initiate my own change.

So how can you begin the process? Remember that, wherever you are in life, no matter how stuck, it’s just a chapter. Turn the page. To start the process, here are a few suggestions:

1. Write a personal mission statement. You have a purpose – actually several purposes in this incarnation. Think about who you want to be and what you desire in life. Think this through carefully. It is not something to quickly dash out. You may want to write and re-write over a period of days until it is says exactly what you mean. Read it each morning and work towards maintaining your integrity with it.

2. Drink a cup of carrot juice. In other words, try something new. One of my first spiritual teachers, Verle Minto, told us the story of how Billy changed his life by trying a cup of carrot juice. Billy was stuck with no romantic relationship, a job he hated, and few friends. One day, he was walking by a health food store that he had passed daily for years. A sign in the window stated that fresh carrot juice was on sale that week. For the first time ever, he wondered about the strangeness of drinking carrot juice. Stepping inside the shop, he ordered a glass. There, he met a woman who invited him to a party. At the party, he made new friends and met someone who offered him a wonderful job.

3. Build different skills. Learning new skills keeps the brain fresh and alert. As you attain new abilities, you will surely expand your life. This could mean asking for new challenges at work or even changing jobs. It could mean acquiring a new hobby such as aquaponics or mountain climbing. Learn a foreign language. Be an activist.

4. Help others. Alter your awareness around you. Who could use a helping hand? So many people are struggling, and you can ease their pain. It could be as simple as a kind word each day or more complicated like starting or joining a group to feed the homeless. It’s a fact your life will be enriched and you will grow spiritually when you help others.

5. Observe your thoughts. If you are unaware of your core beliefs, you can’t change the ones that stunt your growth and ability to live life freely. Instead of being a people watcher, become a You watcher. Without some degree of introspection, we cannot change.