“transformation tuesday”
Social media is inundated with “Transformation Tuesday” posts. Pictures of people when they were at their most awkward (always some time around junior high), posted next to one of them in their 20’s looking all tan, toned, and grown up. Others sometimes opt for the weight loss side by sides, where “Transformation Tuesday” consists of two photos showing someone who is proudly showing off the 20 lbs he or she lost.
Well…this is not your typical “Transformation Tuesday.” See, sometimes it’s not about how you change on the outside or what you lose to look a certain way. What’s really important is what is happening deep down on the inside. Let me break this down for you.
I love to bake. Why? Transformation. Do you ever look at a bag of flour in the pantry and say, “gosh that looks delicious?” Better yet, do you stick your hands in the bag and grab a pinch to taste it because it looks so good? What about vanilla extract? Baking soda? Plain rolled oats? Cinnamon? Nutmeg?
When you start mixing these things together, the ingredients transform into something pretty magical. I love seeing the ordinary become extraordinary through a little sprinkle of this, a little scoop of that, and finding the perfect mix to create something great.
That’s how personal growth works. A dab of talking about your past and how it’s shaped you. A scoop of your future goals. A shake of positive thinking. Cutting out limiting beliefs. A sprinkle of support from someone you trust. Eventually you have the perfect mix to achieve the goals and life you’ve been longing for.
But…like every good, sweet treat, transformation usually requires heat. The process of change is not one built out of comfort. Changing can be quite a daunting task, in fact. Just as a dough that was once mostly liquid becomes light and fluffy upon being thrown into the fire, so can you solidify by finding strength and resilience through the process.
It is said that “if you can’t stand the heat, you should get out of the kitchen,” but I don’t believe that’s entirely true. The time spent in the oven is where the real magic happens. We pull our ingredients—our life experiences, lessons learned, teachings, hopes, fears, failures, and goals—together, and then we are put to the test to see how those ingredients marry together. Do we like what comes out of the oven when we’ve been put through a trial?
Maybe you are a bit too salty. A bit too soft? Maybe you lack structural integrity. Are you too bitter? Life’s trials and tests are certain to show you who you are, and they also present the perfect opportunity for you to reflect on the ingredients or characteristics in which you need to change.
The cool thing is you can bake as many batches as you want. Life gives you endless trials and endless opportunities to both feel the heat and tweak the ingredients to find the perfect blend. You are the master chef of your own life, and you are allowed the unique opportunity every day to transform into whomever you choose to be. With the right support and right ingredients, you can walk through the fires of life proudly and confidently.