Hi there, my name is Amanda Fessler, but I also go by Mandi. I am 33 years old and I have been wanting to start a blog for quite some time. I have experienced numerous challenges for the past 8 years of my life, and I believe now is the time I would like to share my experiences with you.
Where do I begin? I guess by describing what the dragonfly project is. I call this blog The Dragonfly Project by Mandi, but I also call it The Dragonfly Adventure. As I brainstormed how to make my blog unique, yet stay true to who I am and represent what I want to convey, I came across dragonflies. First let me say that I don't believe there are coincidences in life. I think that everything enters your life for a specific purpose. Whether it be people, ideas, experiences, etc. That being said, the idea of dragonflies came to me at a certain point, and I could not discount the meaning of this. And that is how the dragonfly project was born.
I started to research the meaning of dragonflies. I soon discovered that dragonflies have different meanings across cultures. For instance, the Chinese view dragonflies as somewhat of a good luck charm. Native Americans often consider dragonflies synonymous with happiness. Overall, the dragonfly symbolizes prosperity, good luck, strength, peace, harmony, and purity. I like to add one more to that list.....Hope.
Further research indicated that dragonflies are representative of the process of self discovery. The irridescent wings that characterize dragonflies may reflect the process of an individual uncovering his/her own abilities, or true self, while removing doubts that he/she may cast on his/her sense of identity. I got my doctorate in clinical psychology, and it was then that I truly discovered who I am as an individual. I also learned to apply some Buddhist principles, one of which is living in the moment. I found that dragonflies live a very short time, and therefore, another principle that I recognized is living life to its fullest, without regret.
After recognizing the various symbolism inherent in a dragonfly, I decided to call this blog "The Dragonfly Project." I believe that each person has a unique and important story to tell. When we share our stories with others, we pave the way for human connections to be formed. In addition, we can pass on life lessons that may be applicable to many people other than ourselves. I strongly believe in becoming a better person, day by day. The more we learn about ourselves, the more insight we have into our behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. This allows us to grow and develop into the best person we can possibly be. Since dragonflies embody many positive characteristics about what it means to discover oneself, to create meaning out of our experiences, I decided to incorporate this idea into this blog.
A great deal of what I have to say may be difficult to read. I have encountered so many challenges in my life. However, I want to be able to look at these experiences in a positive light and to share what I have gone through with anyone willing to listen. I hope to reach out to others who may be going through difficult times. Forming connections based on shared experiences can be powerful tools for growth. It is with these ideas in mind that I move forward with this blog. I aim to teach others about what it is like to live with a rare autoimmune disease. To share my thoughts and feelings and daily struggles with others. Perhaps you are also living with a difficult medical condition. Or possibly a mental health condition. Or maybe someone you know is suffering from an illness of some sort. If you find yourself at some point not knowing how to relate to this person, I hope to help with this. If you are the one struggling, I hope to provide an outlet for you to express your thoughts and feelings.
I want to be able to apply the principles that stem from the symbolism of dragonflies into my own life, so that I can focus on living my life rather than remaining stuck. If you too feel like you are stuck in any aspect of life, or you just would like to become more positive in your attitude towards life, join the DRAGONFLY PROJECT! Together we can share stories and move forward as a group, rather than in isolation. From this point on, we learn to live like a dragonfly!
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