Live Your Paradigm! ™: Brilliance While Broken

Transformation costs, yet transcending defeat is worth it. We hear these dynamic words- transition, transformation, and transcending, and envision a place untouched or unreached by most. I concur, by definition these words seem like an improbable condition or maybe even lofty in nature. One transforming is to make a complete change and transcending is to go beyond something in quality or achievement. And the transition between the two is often defined as a glorious experience. The statements would lead you to believe this process is unique. On the other hand, we experience these extraordinary moments at some point in our ordinary lives, honestly, quite often. I am sure you have changed your mind about a person or place or experience. I will bet on you going above the call of duty at least one time at work, or a home or within the community? Sure you have! Unfortunately, in addition, you have experienced pain, lost, or heartbreak; most people have. Nonetheless, we equate transforming and transcending to a position for the royal, righteous and perfect ones. Well, this is a call to action for those who will not call being beaten, battled, wounded, or broken as a moment of transformation and transcending. The fact you are reading this is proof you are transcending; 42 million people in the US are illiterate. If you are of color, the fact you have access to this blog is a transformation; Blacks and Latinos are substantially less likely to have a computer at home than are whites. Consider for a moment if each failure and rejection is the process of transition, and if each obstacle or challenge was revered as a complete change and achievement, as a moment of “transformative transcending”. Then, would you believe you are closer to a new, more wonderful YOU? A glorious experience? Again, I serve notice that you, yes you, can experience opportunities of brilliance while broken.

“We must know nothing before we learn something: be empty before we can be filled. It is not the emptiness of the bowl which makes it useful?”

Transitioning through the process of transformation and transcending can be unpredictable, c'est la vie, and that’s life. To go further…higher, one must become vulnerable…empty before being filled; endure the changes, like the seasons- one day warm, the next day, cold. Becoming broken is a part of the process. We win, we lose. So why do we despise pain so much? Because it hurts. But wounds heal. The seed doesn’t yield a harvest until its breaks. The caterpillar doesn’t become a butterfly until it changes. Stop undervaluing your broken experiences.

Recently, I learned of a Japanese tradition of repairing pots with gold; it’s called “kintsugi” or “kintsukuroi”. “The term “kintsugi” means ‘golden joinery’ in Japanese and refers to the art of fixing broken ceramics with a lacquer resin made to look like solid gold” (often actually using genuine gold powder in the resin). Chances are, a vessel fixed by kintsugi will look more gorgeous, and more precious, than before it was fractured.” This knowledge manifested revelation concerning brokenness or what’s commonly known as crisis and hardship. It’s a fact that we have a choice, every day, to choose life or death. Indeed, as incredible as it seems, we do have the power to determine if our lives will be left broken or be used even while empty and repaired to a more stronger…beautiful state. Choose brilliance. If you look deeply within and at your circumstance, there is always a road, a way to a better place. Yes, it’s less travelled and the transition is risky and rough. But the reward is worth it. Don’t discredit your pain as worthless, nor your failure as fatal. Transformation is available to us all, if we choose it. We become more valuable because of it, like pure gold.
Following are 10 lessons I have embraced during the dark moments; they have been pillars of fortitude during my transition from transformation to transcending!

10 Lessons Learned While Broken: The Path to Brilliance
1. Trust the process.
2. Forgive yourself.
3. Rely on faith.
4. Accept grace.
5. Be content with the consequences.
6. Be grateful for the options.
7. Remain hopeful.
8. Stay positive.
9. Smile.
10. Love more.

#MakeTheShift