Beyond the Box: Lessons from a Rabbit's Great Escape

Buster and Nibbles

A while back, my son asked me for a bunny. Not wanting the bunny to be lonely, I got him two. They were very young, but we soon noticed distinct personality traits between them.

Buster was rambunctious and would "bust" out of every enclosure we created for him, earning his fitting name. Nibbles, on the other hand, would sit in her safe little corner, nibbling on grass and playing it safe, never rocking the boat or causing any waves.

No matter what enclosure we built for them, Buster would always find a way to "bust" out of it.

Finally, I created a bulletproof enclosure outside, completely enclosed on all sides with wire mesh on both sides of the lid. Within a week, as I happened to glance out the window, I saw Buster hopping around the backyard. He'd dug a tunnel under the enclosure and "busted" out of that box too. Nibbles, on the other hand, was playing it safe in the corner, "nibbling" on her grass as usual.

Buster could not be contained. I was astonished at his desire for freedom, and it began to speak to me about my own life. I remembered having the same desire to bust out of the 9-5 box, to escape the trading-time-for-money trap, and to pursue my dreams rather than play it safe like Nibbles did.

I am a firm believer in, and teach, the concept that your circumstances are a mirror to your soul. "As within, so without." So I knew this was speaking to me on a deeper level.

Every night, I conduct a personal review, journaling all the signs, symbols, dreams, and meditations of the day. This practice helps me determine what my outward universe is reflecting back to me about my inner "You-niverse" - pun intended.

By the end of the week, Buster had escaped a few more times despite my attempts to block his digging. Noticing and journaling this during my nightly reviews and revisions, I began to "revise" my day with the energy that I had not played it safe like Nibbles. Instead, I envisioned stepping out of the box of fear and starting my new coaching business. I imagined doing this with the same intensity and determination that Buster displayed.

When you look in the mirror, you have two choices: change or stay the same. Thank God for my nightly reviews, because I was able to see clearly that I was playing it safe and not pursuing my passions and dreams of freedom from the rat race. I was stuck in a box in my own life.

I took the plunge and made the move, following Buster's lead. The most amazing thing happened the next day. After placing boards on the dirt in the enclosure, making it harder for Buster to escape, I noticed the next morning that not only had Buster escaped, but Nibbles had as well. Nibbles finally followed Buster's lead and broke free too.

This literally mirrored my inward decision to follow my dreams and break free from my internal box.

That week, I visited a friend who had wanted to paint her house for years. She was crippled with indecision about the color choice, so the house never got painted. Even now, years later, she was asking me which color she should choose.

I advised her to just make a move in that direction. "Buy samples, buy supplies, schedule a painter, get an estimate - just do something towards the goal. Anything!" I told her. "Once the energy starts, it will flow and unfold perfectly. Even if you pick the wrong color, that will serve a purpose as well."

I wonder how many times Nibbles watched Buster break free before she finally got the courage to break free herself? How many times do we procrastinate because the circumstances aren't perfect?

The truth is, they will never be perfect. Just make a move! Get the energy flowing in that direction and watch magic happen.

I created my Daily Journal for this purpose: to observe the signs and symbols reflected back to you from your current reality. I never would have seen this had I not focused on receiving guidance. Simply by putting my focus on receiving guidance - journaling all the signs and symbols I was seeing in the universe outside of me - revealed the perfect route to take to break free from my box of indecision within me.

Today, I have my own coaching business and am completely free from the box of trading time for money. I teach my clients how to use journaling to decipher the signs from their subconscious to completely change their lives. The lessons I learned from Buster and Nibbles, combined with my daily journaling practice, didn't just lead to my own transformation - they became the foundation of how I help others break free from their own boxes of limitation and indecision.

Thank you Buster!