Moxie on Monday
Moxie on Monday: Become The Butterfly Within and Transform in 2025
Why it’s important to ‘lean into the stillness’
By Catherine Grace O’Connell January 6, 2025

One of my favorite shows that I could watch over and over again is Ted Lasso. Ted says, “Be a goldfish.” Well, not this week, as I say, “Be a Butterfly!”
In order to be a butterfly, you have to embrace that old caterpillar within and get ready for remodeling and a new wardrobe! You know the drill. Resolutions drift by like confetti — colorful, fun, and often forgotten by February. We tweak, we tinker, we change, but what if we aimed higher? What if we transformed?
Transformation isn’t a tune-up. It’s permanent. Like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, there’s no going back. A butterfly doesn’t crawl.
She flies.
This year, step into your very own chrysalis. Let 2025 be the year you transform — not just upgrade, but fully become who you’re meant to be.
The Magic of Letting Go
Nature doesn’t need a guidebook. It knows the way. The caterpillar surrenders to stillness, dissolving into a formless goo — no longer a caterpillar, not yet a butterfly. In that cocoon, she’s “No Thing.” That’s where the magic happens.
It’s the same with us. Transformation asks us to shed who we think we are — our titles, roles, and stories. The Buddhist concept of nothingness teaches that when we loosen our grip on identity, we unlock infinite potential.
Only by letting go does the butterfly emerge. And only by stepping into the unknown do we find out who we can truly become.
The Power of the Pause
Transformation blooms in the in-between. Think of it as the hush before sunrise; the pause between thoughts; the stillness after releasing something before the new arrives.
We live in a world addicted to action. But the caterpillar doesn’t rush. She honors the pause. She knows that transformation comes from within.
What if we did the same? What if, instead of chasing the next thing, we allowed ourselves to dissolve — quietly, intentionally — until the next higher version of ourselves naturally unfolded within us?
Becoming the Butterfly
Let’s be real. Transformation isn’t cozy. The chrysalis can feel dark and disorienting. But in that discomfort, the blueprint of the butterfly is already forming.
This year, lean into the stillness. Growth isn’t always about doing. Sometimes, the most powerful thing is to be ”no thing” at all. Trust that your wings are taking shape, even if you can’t see them yet.
And when the moment arrives, you won’t just step into 2025.
You will fly!
About Moxie on Monday
Catherine Grace O’Connell is chief executive cat-alyst of her female-focused digital media agency MODLife Media and an expert on becoming ageless in mind, body, and spirit. She has more than 30 years of study and experience in natural wellness, mindfulness, meditation and fitness. She is also the founder of Ageless In Seattle, a heart-centered community for women of all ages. You can follow her on her website CatherineGraceO, Instagram @catherinegraceo, and Tiktok @catherinegraceo
