Welcome back to Part 2 and the secret code of QUACK!!!!!
⬆️Okay, it still has nothing to do with ducks but how cute is this fluffy duckling???
Right?!?!?! 😍
Okay, I shall focus now…SO, we left off talking about how I’m starting to really wonder if my knee injury loop stems from deep-seated-fear-based thoughts. Because what you think and believe, you perceive, right? And thoughts create reality. With this is mind, have a little listen to a story and tell me if my wonderings are on the right track…
****SIDE STORY: There is an episode of Family Guy that makes me think of my knees. Bear with me, please!! I am not the hugest fan of this television show, though I have seen a bunch of episodes in the past due to the company that I was with, and it had some clever, creative, and very funny moments. One episode, and I have no idea what it’s called, has Stewie (the genius, egocentric baby) shrunk down to microorganism-size and inside Peter, the dad. And all I remember from this episode is Stewie driving around in this micro-spaceship around Peter’s stomach and Peter saying, “Oh, my Duodenum is acting up!” or something to that effect. First of all, who would ever express stomach pain or discomfort like this?? AND since Peter, who isn’t what you might call an educational scholar, exclaiming that a part of his small intestines was “acting up?” SO SPECIFIC. It was ridiculous and I thought it was pretty amusing!! 🤣
Has anyone seen this episode?? Perhaps I’m alone on this one and you had to be there…ANYWAYS, I tell this side story because it actually applies to my knees, if you can believe it. It seems like over this past handful of years, every time I slip, stumble, trip, or fall, I say “there goes my ACL again!” Rather than being bruised up or say “that’s gonna leave a mark!,” like the NORMAL RESPONSE, I’m having torn ACL’s!! Look, I have led a pretty klutzy and active life, ever since I was little, so I am no stranger to falls and bruises! I’ve never experienced this train of BAD knee incidents before, meaning something must be going on that’s deeper than I think. And seriously, does anyone really pay attention to the ACL’s in their knees, really?? 🙋🏻♀️ I HAVE AND I DO, very much like the “duodenum” scenario from Family Guy. BECAUSE, get this: I battled through my left ACL Reconstruction, then my right ACL Reconstruction, then I half-tore my left ACL Reconstruction, which led to me fully tearing my left ACL Reconstruction, and now I’m waiting for the re-do of the reconstruction of my left ACL Reconstruction. WHOA!!! Do you need to read that again or are you like me, confused enough as it is?!?! The awareness that I have with my ACL’s are through the roof because: This. Constant. Battle. Has. Been. INTENSE. (⛺️in⛺️—–> Get it??? 😜)
Seems pretty plausible that my subconscious thought patterns over the years are laden with some fear, right?
So, here we go, my wonderful friends. When the same things keep happening, when it feels like you are stuck in a loop or a never-ending cycle, what can be done to break free and change the pattern? Well, here is the first BIG piece of the life-altering puzzle that I’m investigating:
And here is the second piece of the puzzle:
Starting with the first piece, “We Repeat What We Don’t Repair.” In my situation, with consistent knee injuries over many years and being seemingly unable to avoid them (even though I have given 110% effort to do so), I am still clearly missing or overlooking a critical aspect of my own personal recovery. In ‘QUACK: The Code – Part 1,’ I had mentioned imagining a layering effect happening after every single knee incident. I know that I carry fear and judgements about myself because of these traumatic experiences. Don’t we all, from our own experiences. And I’m pretty certain that from my first knee injury to my sixth one, the fear and judgement inside me has increasingly grown larger, whether I am conscious of it or not. Especially because I have tried to ignore many things in my past, like the things that we bury deep down.
What if I need to brave unknown territory; search deep inside my mind; ask questions; get curious about why these thoughts, fears, and feelings are present; and allow them to be released or at least changed to something positive. If we are in charge of our mind, not the other way around, then it is to my benefit to unlock the psyche beliefs and the feelings that I have buried over the years, because they have the ability to manifest – – and continue manifesting – – in surprising, destructive ways. If I do not start asking the question “WHY” – – or get more in tune with my own “why” purpose – – and try to understand myself and the things that are really holding me back, then I am allowing the repeat button to stay on.
Inner peace is outer peace and something that needs to be continuously practiced and chosen. I like that idea very much.
The second piece of the puzzle, “Nothing Changes if Nothing Changes,” is super insightful, isn’t it? Brilliant in it’s simplicity. Similar to the definition of insanity, which is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results, nothing in your life will change if you do not make decisive ACTION to change something about your life…..which SPOILER ALERT is really about changing yourself. For me, I take it even a step further. If I am stuck in this crazy knee-injury cycle and I’m not changing or tending to the underlying causes of my issue – – like, what really keeps leading me towards injury – – then I may very well keep repeating this pattern, staying in this familiar loop, and nothing will change for me except the number of surgeries: #6, #7, #8……😧😳☹️😱🤢!!! Scary, nauseating, and completely unacceptable.
Perhaps the answer is putting EVERYTHING on the table. SEEING ALL OF IT, making it real and extra messy, where nothing is left festering or unnoticed. You can’t heal what you don’t realize is there. And this goes for the obvious thoughts but also the habitual, less-than-obvious thoughts that take some time to pinpoint, find, and uncover.
Hooray for personal growth, right???? Do I hear one “Woo” in the far back? This can be really hard stuff. This requires patience, the willingness to uncover and face truths about yourself that might make you feel disgusting and uncomfortable, (or like you’re dying, oh boy!), and that may clearly take a lot of time to handle, wade through, and let go. Which means I need A LOT of self-love, acceptance, and leeway to feel it out and face whatever it is so that I can start to find more freedom within myself. And this concept seems so worthwhile to me, all on it’s own, to free myself from this vicious cycle that I’ve been living. AND with this gift of time that many of us have now, it is perfect for my quest of self-exploration and this conscious/spiritual personal growth!!
BOTTOM LINE, through my research of this past week, I have come to understand that the thread that weaves through healing, change, and understanding our thoughts and behaviors is this: Uncovering and owning our truths, the good and the not-so-good, and being more conscious of the present moment (what is happening right in front of us versus the cyclone of thoughts that actually come up) is what will set us free.
How do we actually go about moving in this direction?? Well, this is what it seems to me. The importance lies in asking questions, getting curious about the answers, and seeking the knowledge that will open doors in your mind and in your heart, a.k.a. in your life and how you see and interact with the world.
So, I have developed an equation for all of us to use!! THE SECRET CODE!!! You are lovingly invited to participate, if you so choose, whether you are a fan of math or not. Here it is:
QUESTION + CURIOSITY = KNOWLEDGE
~Another way to read this is:
QUestion And Curiosity = Knowledge
OR
QUACK!!!!! 🦆✨❤️✨🦆✨❤️
My new patented acronym and I’m stickin’ with it!!! It’s pretty good, right?! You’re not allowed to steal it but I encourage you to try it out! And maybe give this girl some credit if the word QUACK comes to your mind later today. 😉
This is my newfound goal, to follow QUACK on my path to self-discovery and clarity on ME: observing my self-limiting beliefs, where I’m unintentionally standing in my own way, how I’m indirectly self-sabotaging my efforts to move forward and away from knee injury, and crack the code!!! Or QUACK the code, if you will….😁
You are welcome to join me in this journey and we can work through our “shtuff” together or just know that I appreciate you being here and sharing your love and energy. If you desire change, feel stuck in any way, or find yourself settling in your life and not feeling truly fulfilled, please know that there is more to the story that you see and that a shift could be right around the corner.
Last story and last quote, promise!! (Can you tell that I find quotes inspiring and highly motivational??? What gave it away?? 🤷🏻♀️😁) So, I watched the movie, “The Last Shaman,” on Netflix this week to learn about a young man’s journey to healing his deep depression and how he vehemently (and with every ounce of his being) battled the darkness to find the light for himself. This movie was chosen to expand my view on the healing spectrum and the many paths one can take to find answers for themselves. This quote that started the movie rang like bells for me because this is exactly my perspective and the root of my personal quest:
Like this quote expresses, and what the tools of Yoga teaches us, is that we have everything already inside of ourselves that we need at this very moment. If there is unease of any form in our beings, we are the ones that put it there, are holding onto it, and/or created it in the first place. And if we accept the responsibility for this, as hard as it is and as our defenses go on high alert and ready to point fingers to external stimuli, we have the power to change our circumstances for the better. And isn’t it more empowering to know that you have the ability and the power to create the change that you desire in your life?
The key is already in our hands. All we have to do is get curious and use it.
So….
Let’s QUACK ourselves up!!! 😆😁🙌🏼 What would happen if each of us chose to devote some time to opening the mystery case of “Who am I, really?” and “Why do I believe this is so?” Upon asking questions with curiosity and allowing the “interesting” thoughts to come up, what if our “AHA” moments pave the way for real, lasting change? YES, PLEASE AND THANK YOU, TO ALL OF THAT. To be continued….
Thank you for our deep, philosophical discussion. Lots to ponder and consider for me. Be good to yourselves and we shall reconvene soon!!! ✨❤️🙏🏼🌟💝