Master your emotions with confidence

The ponderings of a Feral Housewife

Issue # 62 || March 28, 2025 || Previous issues​

​

Hey Reader,

​

How's your week been?

We've had COVID this week and today is the first day I'm feeling human again.

My energy is making a comeback and I'm ready to get back down to the "business" of life. 🙂

It's amazing what a week of resting does to your mind. (At least to mine).

​

Change

What does the word change mean to you?

Some people fear change, resisting it with all their might.

Not me!

I love change because it means growth and progress.

And I know you do too.

How do I know?

Think about babies.

​

I LOVE babies, don't you?

But what IF they never changed?

No matter how much we adore babies, we don't want them to stay babies forever. That would be absurd!

Kind of like this guy...

All parents want their children to grow and become independent adults that can manage for themselves.

And think about your garden.

You plant little seeds, so they transform into fruit, flowers, or veggies.

​

In many aspects of life, we need change and transformation. Even technology should change (for the better).

​

Is all change good?

It's true.

Not all change is for the good. One needs only to look around the world and at society to see the change ahem decline.

Many things are beyond our control and sometimes change is painful or downright unfair.

It's ok to acknowledge when change hurts, but it's not ok to get stuck there.

Life is too short.

No matter how long you have left on this planet, you don't want to wallow in misery for too long.

If you need help getting unstuck from negativity or misery let me know! I can point you in the right direction.

​

Change vs transformation

When I first started writing this email, change and transformation seemed like synonyms.

As I continued writing however, I realized these two words are not interchangeable. (Side note: this is one of the things I LOVE about writing. It helps me to think things through and gain clarity).

Change is the process of becoming something different. It's a broader, external term. It applies to processes, small or big, intentional or not. Change can be temporary and cyclical.

For example: the sky changes from blue to grey, therefore we know a storm is brewing.

Another example: getting a new haircut can be fun. It's an external, temporary change (THANK GOODNESS!)

Here's a true-life picture of me with the shortest haircut I've ever had. Thank God he made our hair changeable!

​

Transformation is a type of change but it's more specific and often profound. Transformation is internal and permanent, like the metamorphosis of a caterpillar to a butterfly.

​

Which is better change or transformation?

It depends on the circumstances.

Are you unhappy with your car, apartment, job, or some other situation? A change of place or circumstance might be just what you need.

Are you unhappy with yourself? Well, changing your hairstyle isn't going to fix that. It might temporarily make you feel good (there's nothing like being happy with your hair) but true happiness doesn't depend on what your hair looks like. After all, that can change at any time👨‍🦲.

If you're unhappy with yourself or your life, you may need to go deeper and make more profound changes.

​

Mini marvelous mind shifts

Does the idea of going deeper and making metamorphosis-like changes intimidate you?

Totally understandable!

Making deep, lasting changes can be uncomfortable, time-consuming, and could require heavy duty effort.

But does it always have to be that way?

Nope!

This is where what I call mini marvelous mind shifts come in. MMMS for short.

MMMS are small but powerful changes that spark transformation in how you think, feel, or approach things.

These types of transformations DO NOT TAKE long or require effort. In fact, MMMS can happen in 5 seconds!

​

Mini marvelous mind shifts examples

The other day, my husband and I were discussing our most popular topic (it dominates all other topics: parenting and how to do it better).

My husband said that change takes time. He likes the idea of giving my son time to learn and adapt to our guidance.

I, of course, disagreed.

I believe change / transformation can happen quickly. (I know this isn't ALWAYS true but bear with me).

I gave my husband an example.

A few weeks ago, I sideswiped our car (his beloved Tesla) across a decent size rock in our driveway. (Yes, it's embarrassing! For some reason I'm extremely POOR at spatial relationships).

I broke the hub cap protector, scratched the hub cap, and literally broke off a small chunk of the tire!

Whoops! 😓

​

Anway, I said to my husband, "when you tell me to be careful around curbs and big rocks, do you mean I can take my time to learn how to do that?"

He grinned. He got the point. He wants me to make the change NOW. Not slowly, not eventually, not at some future time. NOW!

Please stop hitting rocks and curbs, NOW.

I swear, I will try not to hit any more rocks or curbs. lol (I might have to buy myself an old car if I can't keep that promise).

The MMMS here was twofold.

One, we both realized that not all transformations need time. (The best way to quit smoking or sugar addiction is cold turkey!)

Second, I need to NOT be in a rush when I'm pulling out of the driveway or wherever curbs can be found. 🤣

​

Another example of an MMMS.

Again, involving the hubby. (After this newsletter, I'll definitely know if my hubby reads my emails :)

He sometimes gets annoyed that he's the only one who has to get up early for work.

I wondered why he gets annoyed at this. So, I said to him, "you do realize that you get paid big bucks to get up early, right?"

He grinned. He never thought of it that way. That was an immediate mind shift for him (hopefully that translates into no more complaining about it lol).

And what about me?

I had to ask myself, "if I'm not getting paid, what motives me to get up every day?" 🤣 Mind shift=I'm not lazy! lol

​

One last example of an MMMS.

A personal one this time.

Sometimes I'm in the gruffest of moods. Call it perimenopause, PMS, or whatever you want but sometimes I just don't feel happy inside.

And then one day, a light bulb flashed over my head and someone turned it on...💡

I said, "Today I am going to decide to be happy no matter what."

It occurred to me that happiness is a decision. (5 second realization!)

It's not a mood.

It's not a feeling.

It's a state of being that I can put myself in anytime I want to.

Wow, what a mind shift!

That shift took me out of victim mode and directly into 'agency mode'—a mindset where you take the reins in your life and feel empowered.

Your action tips

I would love for you to spend the next week looking for YOUR 5 seconds mini marvelous mind shifts.

These are moments that take seconds, as in a switch flips in your mind, and suddenly you're seeing something from a different perspective that is more useful to you.

And then share them with me!

I'd love to hear them.

​

The book of creation

By the way, how long does it take for a caterpillar to turn into a butterfly?

It depends on the species and when you start calculating the changes.

The pupation stage is when the caterpillar turns into a chrysalis or pupa (cocoon). It creates a protective casing around itself and then over the next 7-14 days it will transform itself into a butterfly!

​

The caterpillar literally dissolves and rearranges itself into a beautiful butterfly in roughly two weeks!!!

Amazing!

​

​

Your transformation doesn't have to be as dramatic and miraculous as that! (Unless that's what you want).

Keep in mind that MMMS transformations are just as powerful, important, and valuable as transformations that you have to work hard for.

​

In Summary

Life is all about change and transformation.

The intention is ever the same: learning, growth, and progress.

The outcome we seek is maturity, wisdom, and purpose.

​

Until our next feral, fun, Friday adventure,

Anna

​​​

​www.aferalhousewife.com (Check out my work-in-progress blog for more articles)

​https://linktr.ee/aferalhousewife​

​

This weekly newsletter is a labor of my creative love meant to inspire you to intentionally grow in all areas of life, especially emotionally, because what you think and how you feel influences everything. ​ If you're enjoying this newsletter why not forward it to a friend? ​ You can also send them a subscribe link: ​​​​Start Mastering Your Emotions with Confidence Today!​ ​ Heal your inner world to heal your outer world. ​ With love, Anna Celotto Creative & Digital Writer