Doing a puzzle is one of the more efficient activities to focus my child’s attention and calm his energy. Last month we made two, which caused that some days we had to eat on the club table in the living room (something that, even my compliance and order-fan husband observed with no objection) because we needed the dinner table for the – puzzle.

Children are our teachers, they are our guides towards our better versions. And so it happened again that I, as many times before, learnt and made conscious something new. As a matter of fact, I learnt two things.

I don’t know if you have made a big puzzle, with many pieces? Are you familiar with the feeling when you cannot find one specific part? You gaze at the pile of pieces, you move them around, you search among the parts… and no, it is not there! Then you focus on another part of the picture, you go and make another section so to change the pattern and the images in front of your eyes, then you look again, then you come back again…and so on… What happened to me as an act of insight, a lesson and a moment of growth – was the moment (and it happened twice) when the puzzle piece “appeared” in front of my eyes! It has been there for the whole time, I just haven’t seen it.

How many times has it happened to you before to stop and take a breath, to calm your mind, to focus on something else, and, then, when you come back – the solution is there in front of you? In front of your nose, as we say….

How many times have you searched for the solution out there, far away or outside of you, and it has been right in front of you, or inside you all the time?

Where should I move around, where should I turn – to find it?

The second golden experience from the puzzles I luckily didn’t experience recently, but I thought of it. Maybe you have experienced it while making a puzzle? The last piece?

Your puzzle will not be whole, will not be completed without that one last piece. There will be a hole. One pattern will be missing, there will be empty space and it won’t be a whole work of art.

So it is with the world. That part is YOU.

You are the unique part that is completing the picture of the puzzle.

Go out and live your story. Give your contribution, make an impact.

Because none of the parts from the puzzle is like you. None of the other parts has your shape, your colors, your pattern, your place in the whole picture. And you, as a part, cannot see the whole picture and you wonder about your role, your part, your value. If you manage to rise above the whole picture, you will see your place, you will see your role and you will learn your value, the value that you, as a part, give to the whole puzzle.

This Planet that is constantly rotating around its axis and around the Sun with a speed we can’t imagine and in this endlessly wide space called Cosmos, most probably knows what it is doing. It knows that much more than us. And it has known that much longer than us.

So, don’t hesitate much.

Complete the puzzle with your active existence, impact and contribution.

What you think is not the same as what you believe (in).

How so? Like this:

Our thoughts are the activity of the mind, the brain, and they have energetic power. However, they come and they go. They can be motivating for us, they can also hinder us, make us feel big or small, powerful or powerless, creative or suppressed…

Our beliefs are deeply ingrained within us, and they are connected with our values (what is important to us, what we appreciate, what we cannot be without, that which we strive for, what we live for…) and our emotions. Oftentimes, our thoughts and our beliefs do not follow in the same direction, they are incongruent and incompatible. This is where many of the possible conflicts and interferences come from when we are trying to actualize something that we strongly desire.

Many of our beliefs have been “planted” into us since childhood, when we were small, powerless, with underdeveloped thinking and conclusion making abilities. So, we’ve accepted them as they were, without questioning if something is really that way or another; accepting that I am one way or another.

the beliefs (or feelings) “Money is evil”, “Money is for other people”, “People who have money are evil/selfish/dishonest…” etc. remain, you will not create/achieve/accept more money. c)  If on a conscious level you admit that you want a nice, intimate relationship with a partner meant for you, but you are consistently encountering inadequate partners/none at all, or you find yourself in an unfulfilling relationship, it is possible that some of your deep beliefs are similar to the following: “I don’t deserve love and attention”, “Good partners don’t exist”, “Being in a relationship means giving up my freedom and personal authenticity”, “Love hurts/doesn’t exist”. It is most likely that these kinds of convictions and the energy they create within you, are actually guiding your life.

How are deep convictions changed?

First off, a good start is “airing them out” into the open, venting and feeling them, hearing how they sound and how they resonate with you. Then, you may continue by looking for examples (or situations) from your childhood that might have caused them in you. Afterwards, you may slowly start to replace them by actively exploring other different convictions (which may seem weird and uncomfortable in the beginning), that will become useful to you.

Additionally, it is important not to rush.

For instance, if you just say to yourself “I am successful in this field” your subconscious might not really believe that at the start. But if you start out with “I am slowly but surely improving, and I am adopting new habits and steps toward success in this field”, it will be accepted easier and you will start to notice change.

Changing into another person doesn’t happen immediately, so it is crucial to be persistent and search for all the parts within that are inhibiting you, and all the ways you can help yourself become the person you want to be. Because you cannot gain something new, if you do not become someone new first. Explore books, links and videos, seek out a psychologist or a personal development trainer that can guide you through ways to achieve this.

Finally, let’s end on a personal note:

Even if you didn’t believe in what you just read, give it a try! It could be just another chance to change old beliefs! Enjoy your exploration.

At one of our coaching sessions I spoke with a dear client of mine about her next steps regarding a project she is working on. We mentioned that her birthday falls on the same day, and connected it with her activities.

Thinking of her, suddenly I stumbled upon a realization (one of those bright, creative, positive, inspirational and motivational ones; of which I try to have as much as possible): it’s her birthday this month, I am overwhelmed with joy about her progress and new successes (as I am with all my other clients) and I’m thinking about all that she’s done in this period… All that she desired, and didn’t know how to picture or achieve it. Sometimes we don’t even know what it is that we want exactly, and we start to realize it step by step… 

In order to reach that future version, we need to listen to our heart, our body, our feelings, and choose which thoughts to listen to and which to ignore. To reach that version we must also take some steps, and undertake some activities. We must also ask ourselves “What don’t I know yet? What must I learn? What steps should I take? How do I get there? Where can I look for and get some help?” and many other questions depending on your phase of life and the topic you are thinking about.

Most of all – we must learn to be patient and open. To wait while actively moving. To wait while practicing gratitude, and learning to open up. To open up to the unknown, the unfulfilled, the new versions of us, life, and the world around us. To open up to miracles, big or small. Just like our own existence is a miracle. Who knows how many people you have yet to meet? How many skills that you aren’t aware of yet? How many ways of doing things you haven’t seen before?