Out of my Shell

Out of my Shell: 

A personal journey to developing interpersonal skills 

No one is born skilled in a certain practice or way of life, we grow into it. 

Now I want to share my journey to how I developed my interpersonal skills. 

I wasn't always so outgoing, clear, and direct in my interactions with others. I was the kind of toddler who would have a mental breakdown and go into a fit of tears begging my mom not to leave me with strangers at school or daycare.

 I remember when at about 5 years old I would beg my mom, crying, to take me with her to school and then receive a candy from the college staff and sit right next to her for a day while she worked on her schoolwork.

 I absolutely feared what I considered others to be just all "strangers". The thought of the unknown caused me great anxiety. 

As the years went by finishing elementary, going on to middle school and finally high school - not much had changed.

 I still had anxiety in most social situations and looking back now I really overthought pretty much everything. 

I was a pure perfectionist, especially in high school and took many things personally that I see now didn't have much to do with anything really important.

 I didn't cry and throw fits anymore at that point obviously, but this time especially around middle and high school years the anxiety became inverted, I displayed a somewhat happy and content outside yet simmering with self-damaging anxiety and over-exaggerated worry on the inside. 

This little monster of anxiety and worry became something a little bigger during the pressures of high school. 

I rarely stayed in the cafeteria and always found a way to sneak out into the school library. There I would work on schoolwork, listen to music in my earphones, and then with any free time I would study astrology intensively. 

Interesting enough, and sort of surprising actually - the study of astrology at that point in high school really helped me reach out and relate to others in a way I haven't been able to before. 

Studying the patterns I found in common with certain groups of individuals in regards to the date that they were born, I was able to sort of predict what to expect from others and therefore have much higher levels of tolerance, understanding, and patience; not only for others but also for myself as well. 

After studying astrology I was able to see the strong points and less perfected points in others and myself, including the little habits that contribute to an individual's most likely behavior and where that could possibly be coming from. 

However, in no way am I saying that others should also study astrology, for me at the time astrology served as a necessary crutch to facilitate a more open mind and positively tolerant perspective of life. 

Shortly after this time of studying astrology and graduating high school ahead of my class I had begun breaking out of my chrysalis, shortly one year after as a catalyst I began work in the customer service area, from then has just been another level of experience over the other, sort of like the layers of bark on a tree stump. 

Immediately after begininning my work with the public I had sort of began to feel as a co-city mayor or something of the sort, not in authority but in my every day interactions with so many individuals and lending every single one of them an ear and free space for self-expression. 

In this way being exposed to so many cultures, families of endless backgrounds I have adopted a general tolerance and gratefulness for the inherent individuality of the citizens of this earth. 

I don't see us anymore as an end to ourselves, but more as part of the grand scheme of a very powerful life-giving Creator. 

Now after about 3 years of working in the customer service industry, I confidently say that I could approach just about anyone and know in which way would be best.

Thank you for reading my blog ❣️ I hope the information and topics I've covered have helped you in some way, if you have any ideas you would like me to cover here, questions, or comments you may email me at luciannanicole10@gmail.com

Birthday time | Personal Experience with Astrology studies

"And Gd said, "Let there be luminaries in the expanse of the heavens, to separate between the day and between the night, and they shall be for signs and for appointed seasons and for days and years." (Genesis 1:14)

Today I would like to share my personal experience concerning the study of Astrology and why I come to my current perspective today on the topic of the stars. 🌟

There are many varied reasons to initiate delving into the study of astrology. 

Some study just for fun, out of habit, anxiety over what the future holds, to gain a little extra money on the side preparing astrology "readings", to make "compatibility charts" for couples, in an effort to find the truth, ... just a short list among other possible reasons.

My intense research of astrology  began 6 years ago in the year 2014, I was 15 years old in 9th grade of high school. 

At that time, I was undergoing tremendous stress and pressure in my school & personal life, as most teenagers at my age were. I wanted clarity and spiritual revelation in a world of pressure & confusion.

What I already knew about astrology is a closely held tradition in my family, 

my mother was constantly reminded by my grandmother of the time known as your "bad time", 

the time around the date you were born, the closer it is to your birthday, the more dangerous for your life, 

as it seems your soul is closer to the spiritual and therefore your body (opposite of spiritual) is automatically vulnerable to sudden accidents, emotional fluctuations, injuries, and even fatal incidents that can unexpectedly take a person from this life around the time of their birthday.

Take some time to notice when many people have left this world unexpectedly, ex: on the news, many times it was close to their birthday.

also, an individual's "bad time" can also endanger those in immediate physical proximity to them, so look after them as well.

With this background in mind, I already had a curiosity to know more about what astrology is but never really delved further.

At that time in my life 6 years ago then, I took every moment I had free to study astrology. I wanted to study much more than just the sun and the moon, I wanted to know all the little details. 

Over time I found out about asteroids, pallas, juno, ceres, vesta, and planetary points such as Ascendant, Midhaven, IC, DC, North & South Node, Midpoints, etc... I would go to the school library and study in the morning, at lunch, and whenever I stayed after school. 

I learned so much, I could talk about my findings for hours on end.

In the past before studying astrology I hadn't been able to think much positive about an individual, and was always prone to constantly highlighting negative points about myself & others in my head in a narrow minded way.

Over time I learned the primary inclinations of each individual and I was then able to connect to my fellow humans more compassionately, effectively and meaningfully.

With this new Astrology - Catagorizing mindset I was also more open and accepting of embracing what the future holds without hesitation, no matter what it be. Accepting that life itself is a learning process. I knew Gd supervises everything. And I didn't study astrology alone, I constantly prayed to Gd and followed my intuition, as I wanted to find the whole truth, and didn't expect astrology to serve as my mental-organizing-crutch forever.

I was able to see more in the long run and the big picture. How the little details are superficial and unimportant, and how some decisions at specific times in our life can change everything for less or more challenge, depending on the direction chosen. 

How very important it is to understand the limitations and possibilities for growth at a certain time period, and know when it is time to close a chapter and start a new one. 

When to just let go, let things be as they are. 

When to fight tooth & nail to make things right or just simply to survive.

My conclusion at the end of my half decade of study is that generalizing an individual with astrology is useless. 

Each individual has a bit of everything, and in the right place and time they can seem to be an entirely different individual. 

That is why choosing where to be in this world is so important, it really affects how we deal with the world and vice-versa.

For instance, I am a Virgo sun, however many times I come across as appearing to be a Libra sun, as my family comments to me so often. There is really no way to generalize an individual. We are much more unique and transformative than what can be put into a box.

However, what still stands true through all of my studies of astrology is the "bad time" concept and the fact that moving or traveling to a different location will change how others see and interact with you, and vice-versa.

So, please pay attention to your safety and take care of yourself and those in your immediate proximity around your birthday!

Also, if you are not having the best experience in one place in this world, do some research and travel to see if living in another place fits your life better.