PhD in Being Me

Tag: transformation

  • Empathy is my super power

    A beautiful sunset sky with purple, yellow, pink and orange clouds.

    The other day, I was having a conversation at work, and I said some very wise words that helped me to know that empathy is my superpower.

    We were talking about some people who seem superhuman because they can work 16 hour days for long periods of time. My colleague seemed like they were judging themselves for not being able to do that, and I said something like,

    You have superhuman powers at work even if you don’t work 16 hour days. You bring empathy, compassion, and understanding to your employees, and that is a superpower.

    I could tell it helped my colleague for me to recognize their awesomeness and it sure helped me. It is easy for me to judge myself for having chronic fatigue syndrome and for not having bountiful amounts of energy. It isn’t always easy to remember the wonderful ways that I contribute to the lives of those around me thanks to my empathy, compassion and understanding. I was grateful for a chance to be reminded of that.

    Living with empathy and leading with kindness and compassion are true bad ass ways of living. It is much easier to judge others, push them away or to “other” them. I know that because over the last 20 years I have been unlearning those habits and have been opening up to the wellspring of light, love, care and compassion that were always within me, just waiting to be discovered.

    If you are reading this, I am smiling at you! I am encouraging you and cheering you on! What might your superpower be? Are you up for taking a moment to acknowledge the good you do just by being exactly as you are?

    If you don’t know what your superpower is yet, may you have a joyful time discovering it. May you get a PhD in Being You each and every day as you get to know yourself better.

    I send you big hugs!

    © Bradlee Zrudlo 2023. All Rights Reserved.

  • Shedding more than just my skin

    A green and white striped snake curled up on a branch.
    Photo by Stephen Joel on Pexels.com

    Today, I feel like I am a snake who is getting ready to shed my skin. Except that I I don’t want to just shed my skin, I want to shed more.

    I want to shed my old, victim like ways.

    I want to shed this safe resting place that I have taken shelter and refuge in.

    I want to shed this fear and the echoes of trauma that keep calling and calling to me.

    I want to shed this little prison and its shackles so I can explore the rest of me, the rest of life, the entirety of my potential to grow, expand, shine and make a beautiful difference in the world.

    Here I am, like the snake in the picture, except, I have one eye open.

    That eye is looking outward, feeling the fire and rage within and it’s gauging if today is the day to shed it all.

    I take a deep breath in. I smile and roar within me and open both eyes and climb off that safe branch.

    I stretch as far as I can, both into and away from myself.

    I feel the layers of the old, flaking and crumbling off of me as I slither and stretch and climb up, and up, and up to a new view point on life.

    I start to feel more free, less encumbered, weighed down and trapped by the confines of my previous existence.

    I open my mouth and feel a roar coming up from within me. A roar that makes no sense because up until now I’ve been a roar-less snake who has been curled up, safe and protected from harm and from my past.

    But today, I have shed my old self and I am a lion. A proud, strong and gorgeous lion with a roar that shakes the trees and sends ripples into the oceans.

    A female lion roaring. Her eyes are closed and her mouth is wide open.
    Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

    I am a lion, one who has walked the Earth for millennia, bringing new life, power and strength to all who see and hear me.

    I am a lion, fierce, proud, and scarred from battles but ready to stand strong and fight for myself and for those who are healing. The ones who are curled up and incubating in the echoes of their past until it is their time to shed the old and walk the Earth anew. Afire. Awash with their strength. Full of roars and power. Just like I am becoming today.

    Here I am Life. Hear me roar. I am Mighty. I am ancient and brand new. I am both a whisper and a mighty roar. I am it All, re-arisen from the ashes of my past, with a new body, new skin, new image, and new confidence. I am roaring and I am glorious.

    To those who can’t yet roar, I am here, roaring, prowling, and making the path clear and safe for you, for your emergence, for your shedding and for your transformation.

    For you and for us, I roar. In honor of our collective pain, traumas, and past, I roar. Peace be with you as you rest, incubate and heal. I will be here, ready to rejoice when we can roar together and set our world free.

    A close up of a male lion's face. He is beautiful, strong and fierce.
    Photo by Alexas Fotos on Pexels.com

    © Bradlee Zrudlo 2023. All Rights Reserved.

  • Messages in the wind

    Messages in the wind

    I live in Kemptville, Ontario, Canada and right now, it is fall.  Fall is such a gorgeous season.  It’s a time when our trees explode into gorgeous bright colors, almost like a celebration before the depth of slumber during winter.  I love fall.  It’s a time of transition, of nature celebrating her glory and beauty and the air is so crisp and fresh.  I feel like the wind carries different messages in the fall; messages of reassurance, strength and empowerment to help us through winter.

    Winter can be such a time of quiet, reflection, self-care and cocooning and fall is the turning point.  We’re at the point in fall now where there is still so much beauty, colour and bird song that fills our ears, eyes and hearts.  For whatever reason, even as the leaves fall off the trees, I don’t usually feel sad.  I feel full of hope, possibility and power.  Because of this, I look to nature for inspiration to confirm and deepen these feelings.

    Beautiful Maggie leading the way through the forest

    I live on a precious piece of land that has 12 acres of forest.  The other day, as I was crunching through leaves on the paths in the woods, I thought about how full the forest is at this time.  Despite the fact that the leaves will all fall off, the forest feels like it wants to showcase it’s beauty and splendor.  I find that fascinating.  Even though a temporary death will be occurring, there is such celebration in the air.  I have been stopping to look up at all the leaves, with their bright colors of red, gold, yellow, orange and green, and I’ve been drinking in their celebration.  I can feel it nourishing me deep in my soul. 

    A beautiful cluster of trees showcasing their colorful transformation

    I’ve been looking for other signs of inspiration too, not just from the trees and their gorgeous canopies above me, but on the ground.  This fall season, I have been more fascinated by the mushrooms in the forest.  Mushrooms burst up from the decay on the forest floor.  They are born from what is decomposing, they have short lives, and some of them are poisonous or deadly.  I saw these mushrooms the other day, and they reminded me of me. 

    There they are, emerging from under a bed of pine needs, just like I am emerging from so much transformation, healing and pain.  Those mushrooms gave me so much strength – they were born from decomposition. I am being rebirthed in this phase of my life, what is no longer serving me is decomposing and is fueling the me who is emerging.  How glorious.  I can draw inspiration from the trees who are celebrating what is leaving, and do the same.  I am like the trees and the mushrooms.

    I had the privilege to meet with an Indigenous Elder many years ago at a lodge.  I had been getting messages from seagulls and learning more about our connection to the Earth and I asked for some guidance about how to move forward with my new connections.  He taught me about how the Creator has given us everything we need and that there are messages for us everywhere.  I love being rested and open enough to hear the whispers in the wind and to be able to receive them and their gifts in my heart. 

    In a future post, I’ll share about the various messages I have received from birds. In the meantime, may you feel and be so loved each and every day, no matter what type of transformation you may be going through.  May you also be blessed to receive the messages that our beautiful Earth Mother shares with us through all of her gorgeous and precious creations. 

    I find these look like sea shells!

    ©️ Bradlee Zrudlo, 2022. All Rights Reserved.