Becoming Egg-straordinary

By Stephanie Pifer-Stone

This is the first in a series of four journals designed to help you find your inner butterfly.A butterfly‘s life cycle evolves in four different stages: from the egg, to the caterpillar, to the cocoon (or chrysalis) and finally the butterfly. Several different cultures honor the butterfly as a symbol of transformation, new life and immortality.
This book is created to help you find your way out of the egg stage. A lot of us are stuck in our tiny “egg” of a life, not realizing our full potential as human beings having a spiritual experience in this world. Some of us never venture out of our comfort zones to discover all the gifts we are given and the paths we were meant to explore.
This journal is a tool for you to use as you make your way from the ordinary life you have been living into the extraordinary adventure you were meant to experience. The fact that you picked this book says you are ready to break out of your egg stage and start the internal search for the butterfly hiding within you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stephanie Pifer-Stone
• Release date: Oct 14, 2015
• ISBN: 9781310792557

Stephanie Pifer-Stone

Stephanie Pifer-Stone is an ordained Interfaith Minister. She considers herself a spiritual seeker and strives to hear the Truth in all spiritual teachings. She has co-hosted and produced two radio shows on Unity Online Radio and has written articles for Unity Online Magazine. Becoming Egg-straordinary, a Journal to Help You Find Self-Love is her first book in a series of four about releasing your inner butterfly. In addition to her husband and their "furry kids", her passions include yoga, writing, cooking, and singing. Her goal is to help others find their way through life’s transitions in a positive, graceful manner.

Book preview

With love, appreciation and gratitude for my husband Rick Stone who has loved and supported me on my path, even when I didn’t know where I was heading. You are a remarkable, patient man and I am so blessed.

Also to my Aunt Shirley Scott who has been my mother figure and mentor. Thank you for seeing the writer in me even before I recognized it. Your love and support have been a wonderful inspiration to me. You are truly a butterfly!

Introduction

Hello, dear readers. This is the first in a series of four journals designed to help you find and release your inner butterfly. A butterfly‘s life cycle evolves in four different stages: from the egg, to the caterpillar, to the cocoon (or chrysalis) and finally the butterfly. Many cultures honor the butterfly as a symbol of transformation, new life and immortality.

This book is created to help you find your way out of the egg stage. A lot of us are stuck in our tiny egg of a life, not realizing our full potential. Some of us never venture out of our comfort zones to discover all the gifts we are given and the paths we were meant to explore.

This journal is a tool for you to use as you make your way from the ordinary life you have been living into the extraordinary adventure you were meant to experience. The fact that you picked up this book says you’re ready to break out of your egg stage and start the internal search for the butterfly hiding within you.

I’ve started each chapter with a quote I found inspirational. Very often you’ll not have heard of some of these people, but thanks to the Internet, you can find out more about them. The ones that speak to you may be the ones that you should explore in more depth. A lot of the quotes come from books that I found helpful at different times in my spiritual journey and I’ve listed them in the Recommendation Chapter at the end of the book.

You’ll find I use the word spiritual more often than religious or Christian. I also refer to my Higher Power as God, but also as Spirit or the Universe. I encourage you to interpret that into whatever name means something to you. I was raised Christian, but as an adult have explored and become open to all other spiritual beliefs. I respect all paths to God and feel that having an open mind and heart is the only true pathway to peace.

After each quote, I’ve written a chapter of my feelings on the subject and added some research and anecdotes along the way. At the end of each chapter, I give you a Butterfly Kiss. It is an idea or challenge to help you take steps out of your comfort zone. Then there is a page with thought questions to get you started on journaling your feelings and observations about what you just read.

This book is my gift of love to you. I hope it helps you realize just how special and important you are to this world and all those who love you.

Dedication

I started my first book many years ago. It has changed form and direction many times. It seems I had lots to say but for a while didn’t have the inspiration and discipline I needed to form it into an actual document that made sense and meant something.

Then a year ago, my life was changed by a friend’s suicide. People who know me think it is odd, because Andrea and I were not that close. We shared a few lunches and hugs and expressed interest in what was going on in each other’s lives. She texted me on my birthday to wish me well. A few weeks later, she took her own life, leaving me, and a lot of us who loved her, heartbroken and stunned.

I don’t pretend to understand the why’s about her actions. I just know she seemed to have it all, a wonderful career, an adorable husband, lots of people that loved her, a spiritual life that she was very active in, a beautiful smile and a healthy, attractive body. Something was obviously missing, but she never let on about the pain she was going through.

Surviving suicide of someone you care about is a very different kind of grief from losing someone to health issues or accident. It leaves you with guilt and the feeling that you wish you could have done something to prevent it. It has been surreal for me and has left me with the desire to help others that maybe have forgotten who they are.

Age wise, Andrea could have been my daughter. I wish I had had some words of wisdom to make her realize how important and valuable she was to so many of us….how much her presence made a difference in our world.

I didn’t start out writing this book for Andrea, but her death gave me a direction I didn’t have before. It is my sincere hope that this journal will help you realize your inner strengths, develop your sense of self love and self-esteem, and enjoy this wonderful life you have been given. Whether it is going the way you want or not, life is still very precious.

At Andrea’s funeral, someone was handing cards out with this quote: Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think. Christopher Robin to Pooh (A.A. Milne)

I feel Andrea knows the truth about herself now. I hope she is smiling that beautiful smile knowing she is my inspiration. Rest well, dear friend!

Chapter One -- Respect Yourself

He that respects himself is safe from others; he wears a coat of mail that none can pierce. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

I’ve learned that you teach people how to treat you by how you treat yourself. If you’re constantly putting yourself down whether with your words or actions, you’re showing the world that you don’t respect yourself. If you’re consistently making bad choices in regard to your health and relationships, you’re showing the world that you don’t love yourself enough to take care of yourself. Generally, we treat others with respect. Then why don’t we do the same for the God-given Spirit in our own bodies?

When I started writing this, it occurred to me that I needed a better definition in my own mind about what respect really is. Is it treating others as we would like to be treated? Not necessarily. It seems quite often we treat others better than we treat ourselves.

When I looked online, I found definitions that involved being kind, honest, open, doing no harm to someone you respect and not stealing from them. When we translate these qualities and apply them to show respect for ourselves, how does that work?

Be kind: Would you go up to someone you respect and tell them they are fat or stupid? Probably not, so why do you say those things about yourself? It doesn’t matter if you say them out loud in front of someone else or just in your head. It’s still disrespecting yourself.

Be honest: That doesn’t mean being cruel or mean. Brutally and honest don’t have to be used in the same sentence. In this case it means don’t lie to yourself. Don’t rationalize to cover someone’s behavior when they’re disrespecting you. Part of showing respect for yourself involves limiting your time with people who don’t treat you well. People that respect themselves don’t tolerate bad treatment from others.

Be open: Learning about others can help you respect them. The same thing is true in learning about yourself. Take a good look at yourself; your good traits as well as what might be considered not so good. What are your talents and gifts? We are all creative in some way. Examine where your creative nature lies. You might surprise yourself remembering the things you loved doing as a child, such as drawing, singing or cooking. Spend some quality time with yourself and see what talents come to mind that you want to revisit. You might like and respect what you find.

Do no harm: Most of us would never intentionally inflict harm or injury to another, but we harm ourselves with negative self-talk and physical injury. Someone once said God didn’t make no junk. Meaning whatever God created is beautiful and worthy of respect. You are a Divine Child of God. Once you start understanding and loving yourself, you will find there is no way you want to harm or injure yourself.

Do not steal: Would you get into the purse or wallet of someone you respect and steal their money?