Should We All Start Living Like Caterpillars and Then Butterflies?

Life moves in cycles. We grow, change, and sometimes retreat into stillness before we emerge again, different from before. We can plan our purpose, align with what we think we want, and carry on with direction. But we never truly know what will come along and alter our path. We can’t predict when we’ll get married, have children, or even if we’ll want to. We don’t know when or how we’ll die. We just hope to complete our full cycle, to blossom into a butterfly and live a life of meaning.

But what happens when this process is interrupted? What if something stops it, or we decide to change it ourselves? Can we alter our own metamorphosis?

Unlike the caterpillar, we can. We have the ability to make choices that change our trajectory. The question becomes: do we wait until the end to evolve, or can we choose transformation at any point? The answer is yes, we can choose at any time.

As humans, we tend to overcomplicate this process. The caterpillar trusts in it. We second-guess, research, and analyze every turn instead of listening to our instincts. We fill our days with noise, screens, and expectations, forgetting that transformation often begins in silence. The caterpillar doesn’t rush its process or compare its progress to another; it simply trusts that when the time is right, it will know. Maybe that’s the lesson we’re meant to carry; to surrender control and remember that growth can be quiet, slow, and deeply personal.

But what happens when life surprises us? How do we handle change we didn’t ask for?

Recently, I experienced the loss of my four-legged partner, soulmate, and best friend. It felt like my world ended. I didn’t make it to the chrysalis stage. My cycle stopped just as I felt ready to bloom.

My mind went into overdrive. I felt everything at once: anger, guilt, confusion. I no longer recognized myself. My clothes, my friends, my work, nothing felt right. I felt like I had died too.

The only way I could cope was by removing anything extra from my life. I had to return to the basics. Just like the caterpillar.

As an egg, all I needed was safety and rest. As a caterpillar, I needed nourishment, stillness, and time. I had to trust the process again. I had to feel everything I was meant to feel. Unlike the caterpillar, there’s no timeline for grief, no defined stage for transformation. Maybe I won’t reach the chrysalis yet. Maybe I’ll have to start over many times. But I know this: clearing what’s unnecessary was essential. Simplifying my life helped me breathe again.

Here are five ways I used simplicity and the metaphor of metamorphosis to begin my cycle of growth again:

1. Returned to pen and paper.

I stepped away from technology and began writing, drawing, and creating freely. It helped me reconnect with my inner voice.

2. Created a simple routine.

I began each day with water, then hot lemon, then tea, followed by a small plant-based lunch in a bowl. I avoided creating extra work, no unnecessary cleaning or tidying.

3. Listened to my body.

If I needed to walk, I walked. If I needed to sit outside alone, I did. If I wanted to rest or watch movies, I allowed it. I trusted my body’s needs.

4. Spent time in nature.

I watched how everything around me continued its natural rhythm. A tree’s cycle is just as powerful as a caterpillar’s.

5. Gave myself time.

Time to simply be, without pressure, plans, or expectations.

In doing these things, I realized transformation isn’t something that happens once; it’s a lifelong rhythm of becoming and unbecoming. Every heartbreak, every shift, every pause is another opportunity to cocoon and re-emerge.
These practices don’t need to wait for loss, bad news, or a major life change. Begin the process now. We are all part of the same cycle, and it’s inevitable that life will shift and test us. The goal isn’t to avoid change, it’s to live gently within it.

In the end, maybe the butterfly isn’t the goal at all. Maybe it’s the quiet becoming, the part where we learn to trust, to soften, and to start again. Maybe living like the caterpillar means allowing ourselves to rest before we bloom; and remembering that even in stillness, life is quietly preparing us to fly.

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About the Author: Elizabeth Blake-Thomas is a TV and film director, author, and creativity coach who lives with intention and ease. A minimalist and vegan, she embraces slow living as a path to deeper creativity and connection. Through her storytelling and coaching, she helps others find clarity, purpose, and peace in both life and art.