The Ability To Do Great Things

saturn vintageMany people are struggling at this time.  I know there are things I want to accomplish. I feel somewhat frustrated that I am at the bottom of a hill, I don’t seem to be able to get up.

It occurred to me today, if I can’t get up this stupid little hill, I have not hope of doing anything greater.

It reminded me of the day I woke up and realized I simply had to quit smoking.  I realized I was going to be stuck, right where I was, until and unless I managed to quit smoking.

I was not a normal smoker! I probably smoked heavier then anyone you’ve ever met in your life. I smoked a minimum of three packs a day. I got up in the middle of the night to smoke, at least once, usually twice, sometimes I just stayed awake and smoked!

I also chewed nicotine gum, wore nicotine patches AND smoked, all at once, many times. I mean I would spit out the just-chewed gum, and light a cigarette, while wearing a patch! Two patches!

Mars conjunct Mercury, okay?  Really, I liked smoking better than anything else in the world.

I quit smoking about fifteen years ago. No one who knew me ever dreamed I would ever quit. I had a cigarette hanging from my mouth, pretty much constantly. Today, no one would dream I ever had such an addiction.

What happened is I wanted to move ahead in my life. It became clear to me, this would be possible so long as I smoked.

Most people are blocked, right now today. And if you don’t get up that hill, that’s it for you.  Your entire horizon (Jupiter) looks like the hill you can’t or won’t climb.

Next week is a really good time to break a bad habit or start a new one. I covered this in Monday’s newsletter. But today, I want to say this: you will never gain the ability to do something great, unless you prove to the universe, you can manage the hurdle that’s blocking you, right now today.

If you do break through, you’ll get to move on to greater things.

I hope this inspires you.

51 thoughts on “The Ability To Do Great Things”

  1. Nailed it….this is how I’ve been feeling for awhile now. Time to focus the in leo and claw up over the damn hill

  2. So, for Valentine’s Day, today ~ I’m embracing my future as Chrone. And … in all likelihood … some maddly man will saunter into my Jupiterian horizon to upset my spinster’d intentions!

    1. I love that!! I hope you let us know how that goes for you. I wonder if Elsa will add to her other challenges by creating an astrology matchmaking forum or service. That’s a request…are you reading this Elsa??

      1. I am reading this, but can’t see myself doing it.
        What I am going to do, once we move, is have big parties (in real life) where singles can come meet each other – people can vouch for each other, like the old days!

        I have this all planned. I’m quite serious about it.

        I am test driving my idea, by inviting about 20 people to come see us on our vacation in a big cabin we are renting. I think most people very much want to get out and get away and interact with others in real life.

        Right now, I am getting cooks to plan meals or parts of meals for each day / evening, so people can try different foods.

        I think this is the best way in the world to have a good time, myself. I’m an ex-bartender…started when I was 15 years old.

        Needless to say, I’m a natural. 🙂

        1. That is a spot-on idea!! Giving people a chance to go back to traditional meetings but with an unconventional flair. Italian or not, hopefully you’ll have gluten-free and dairy-free options for those who eat along that venue. Sounds fun and will be worthwhile even if just one match comes from it.

          1. Well I don’t expect anyone to match this time, but the concept of getting people together will begin to be (re)established.

            When we actually move and have a house w/ land and space to host people, this is when I am going back to having parties and I am not going to be the least bit shy.

            Just like my woman’s club here… I will hang flyers…invite people and tell them to bring people. I really think people desperately want non-electronic contact with people.

            Case in point, yesterday I met two women for lunch at noon. I told my son I would be home at 1, but did not leave until 2:45.

            We just got to talkin’ yanno?

  3. I have gained so much weight tghis year I make myself sick. Jupiter in my first house..I blame him. but really, I cant stand to look at myself so I have started to work that treadmill… I’m hoping to be back to normal or 30 lbs less by summertime! Pluto opp my asc..making it’s the relationship with myself that needs to be reinvented!

    1. Wildstarz – I haven’t thought about that. I started today – wrote the newsletter for Monday, but thought I should post this now.

      Off the top of my head – Wednesday! But this this entire period would be good.

      1. I’ve been thinking Wednesday too. It’s my day off. 🙂 and we are supposed to get above freezing here. Taking my car to the really good car wash. And will be doing some serious packing for my move back to the city. I just feel like it’s time to get things done.

  4. Just what I needed to hear. I keep saying the reason I’m blocked is other people but I know that isn’t true. Really, I’m afraid to get to where I want to be. Doing what I want means possibly little to no support. Feeling extra alone/outside of the group. Particularly going against my family’s interests. It’s getting frustrating because I’m here full of false starts and a lot of waiting.

    It’s easy when I HAVE to make a change but when I have the option (trines I guess) to sit and do nothing, I take it. I didn’t used to but my fire was beaten out of me and I don’t know how to get it back.

    1. Avatar
      Warped by Wuthering Heights

      “It’s easy when I HAVE to make a change but when I have the option (trines I guess) to sit and do nothing, I take it. I didn’t used to but my fire was beaten out of me and I don’t know how to get it back.”

      This is me, fire beaten out of me. I do HAVE to make a change, NOW, but not easy this time, been sitting and doing nothing too long, “burning daylight” wasting time and money. Time to scare myself into taking action, that seems to be the only way I can.

  5. Perfect timing for this post, Elsa! I’ve read it’s much easier to break bad habits at the start and during a full moon cycle. The monkey on my back is junk food: pizza, soda, candy…
    I’m taking a sea salt bath tonight and drinking lots of water to get the ball rolling in the right direction! Moon in Virgo this weekend should help.

  6. Ughgggh this post is making me want to be responsible and do the right thing but at the same time I really do not want to do that. My hurdle will last until.next Friday, I guess I’ll just hunker down and deal with it. I need more accountability buddies.

  7. Great post, Elsa! 🙂 wish I could be like that. Im also in the process of quitting something…. only its a relationship 😉 First got hurt, now getting healed. 🙂

  8. Another question i had in my mind for quite some time.. How bad is tr Chiron opposing sun? Is it really, as I heard, The Pumpkin Transit? :-/

  9. I’ve begun thanking higher powers for every difficulty that comes along, seeing it as an opportunity for growth spiritually even if I can’t discern any immediate material benefit. It’s already shifted my perspective enormously.

  10. I haven’t posted in like, forever. But this was written so beautifully. And it does inspire me. You really are a gift, thanks Elsa.

  11. second that, Cosmicbeast!! ‘I Am’ already at the top of the mountain- my mountain or hill is already herenow-, and the rhythm-frequency doesn’t function on wants, needs, and desires(ego selfishness-time). Soooo,,, letting go of thinking is in a balanced harmony way or middle way without expectations.

  12. Yes, it is inspiring. I hope you will find a way with that hill.
    Lao Tzu said :”The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
    But that step somtimes seems unsurmountable. Half-step maybe? A tiny tip-toe? (shuffle?)
    Anything except stay stuck.

  13. I really think we need a new home. We won’t be able to fit here when my Daughter gets older. 100 to 150 square feet would do nicely, so, it’s not a big upgrade. I’ve already looked at adds, and unfortunately, there are about 20 times less rental appartments in that cathegory than appartments on sale. So, I’ve done some serious math yesterday to see what we could afford, maybe not immediately, but if we saved for this for a couple of years. About 1000 square feet appartment in two areas I personally really like and have good schools is definitely a possibility. I think I will pitch this to Husband next week.

  14. I agree with the previous commenters who applauded this post; it’s one of the best writings I’ve read
    from you! As an amateur Astrologer, may I humbly propose you continue these themes as March’s Mars and
    Saturday retrogrades will be followed by April 23rds exact Cardinal Cross (Uranus, Pluto, Jupiter, Mars) at 13
    degrees of their transit signs. Quoted from Bette Davis in a film, “Buckle your seatbelts…!”

  15. Mike,

    As an early Cancer Sun am trembling in my boots about the exactitude of that Grand Cross in April!! My obstacle is to get physical no matter what. I gained 20 lbs. for the first time in my life (from 140 to 160lb) that I absolutely must lose.

    Am so down on myself that I can’t muster enough energy to look for a job. I play it out in my mind and I think of rejection. Even when offers come in. Am an advertising copywriter by trade, but I live in Miami Beach and even though I was born in Spain I cannot write Spanish as well as I do English.

    But am tapped out for funds to move back to NYC (where am from) for partying most of my life (Moon in Pisces).

    But thank you everybody. Now I know am not alone (Sun in 1st House conj. Mercury in 1st House both conj. the Asc). It’s all about ME, ME, ME. So complicated.

    Again, thank you. I love the honesty in all of you. It’s changing my perspective of my situation.

  16. Current couch bouncing because of a sudden eviction. Feeling like I’m an inconvenience and praying for anything to just freaking work out for my greater good for once. I even bought a lottery ticket. I don’t have anything else to lose and figured why not. And I’m feeling that maybe moving back to Southern California might be the end result

  17. I don’t think it’s always possible to ‘claw your way up’; for instance, you cannot force someone to hire you. If DEATH doesn’t eliminate bad karma then wishful thinking certainly doesn’t. Sometimes you just have to wait it out; and I have. For 16 years now. But I finally got a (temp) job on Friday.

  18. oh man… This is exactly what I was thinking–what a drag it is to be blocked!! Gotta get out of this constant, impssible rut on so many fronts! This Merc retrograde feels so much worse than any one I can remember, and Venus ret was no picnic either. Hoping Mars re aint’ so bad…

    Excellent, inspiring post! (I did look to your Monday newsletter, and didn’t see anything… Maybe you mean this coming Monday… If so, I look forward to it!)

  19. If we take another look at our hills from the retrograde perspective, we might do well to reflect , re-visit, re-think, re-sense, reframe and reconsider appropriate action.

  20. Trying to decide if you always say just the thing I need to hear or if I finally hear what needed to be said. Either way, thank you!

  21. So timely you mention giving up smoking. That is exactly what i decided two days ago. I’m done with it. It’s got to go. It gets in the way of too many good things, and my health is of great import to me. I’m glad to hear the news i have cosmic assistance. I will need it, i’m going cold turkey. I’m thrilled about giving up actually. Looking forward to being smoke free.

    As for your can’t get up the hill. Well, i look at it like this. There is always a hill. Sometimes the one i see looming before me is huge and difficult terrain to navigate. Other hills are more a pleasure of a steady climb that’s not too much strain. Others are fairly plataued.

    I step back and realise there are always hills, everywhere i care to look, and the difficulty or import of them rests upon my gauge of their importance, my need of obtaining the climb and other often imaginery things. As i have said to you before. We are always somewhere, even if we think were nowhere. What we consider improbable, impossible or down right difficult one day can turn into a joy and a breeze or simply not important another day. It is the journey that matters.

    I look at the overall picture. I obtain the facts as best i can. I measure the effort needed and the tools i will need to obtain my goal. When all calculations are done, i take one step forward. That’s all i need to do. Not climb a mountain, nor change the world, nor acheive this or that massive impossible thing..just one step. After that i need only take another, one step. So at all times, all i am ever doing is taking..just one step. When i get to the top of the mountain, there will be another and a different vision or need. It never ends. So no hurry, just one step. I’m sure we can all acheive that.

  22. Fushion,

    I wasn’t going to write anymore, formerly “G”, but your input really inspired me. I love the one step metaphor. It really resonated.

    Good luck on quitting cigarettes. Am positive the Universe will support you. Do those water-filled cigarettes work? Not a smoker, so don’t know.

    But I do have awful habits I had to let go of in my life. Support groups were amazing. Just an F.Y.I. There’s def one for smokers. I accidentally stepped into one in L.A. and couldn’t believe how many people there were. Check them out on Google or the internet for your town.

    Again, best of luck.

  23. Your Post couldn’t have had better timing, I too have been “Stuck” in a DEAD END job! Last week I wrote my boss a “Dear John” Email telling him I had to Move on to better things for my life! I am tired and DONE with going round and round getting nowhere! (Definition of INSANITY) I got a job working from home
    setting appointments on the Phone (Mercury-Talking!) What I do best! And set an appointment my first day! Woohoo I might finally be on the right path! The commission I made is more in 1 day than I made in a WEEK with my old job!!!
    Never GIVE UP!

  24. Thank you for this Elsa! I took some steps last birthday in November to start becoming present in my life again and I have to say it hasn’t been easy, very scary. Lots of “stuff” I needed/still am working on letting go of. Trying to deal with the past, live in the present and look forward to the future with nerves in tact. Your posts and all the comments are inspiring and help keep me focused on my goal. That little trains chugging, “I know I can, I know I can, I know I can!”

  25. hmm…i (re)started a diet in january and have been exercising regularly for the past week (for the first time in ages). this is huge for me. do i need to do something else in addition or just carry forward with what i’ve been doing?

  26. That cabin idea sounds fantastic Elsa!! I know how you felt about smoking. I pretty much did the same. Toatally in love with smoking. I quit for 25 years and started out of the blue (well…no- there WAS an influence) in September 2009 and I picked it up like an old sailor.. In September 2012 circumstances forced me to quit but I DID it! Now I cant imagine it! Yuck! Anyhow still struggling with being over weight and in love with the drink. I have cut back to JUST weekends and then only limit myself but when I would like that third drink , that is SO hard! So my goal is to just not drink at al and eat like a Saint! I feel it’s the ONLY way I can turn this corner.Great and inspiring post…YESssss!!

  27. Elsa, your post inspired me and came at just the right time. You are absolutely special to me and I love getting your newsletters. I smoked for 36ish years and quit on Monday February 10th, by substituting nicotine patches for the cigarettes. I think it is a huge thing to do, being such a habit and so enjoyable, but I am moved to do it. The time is right, and your newsletter and this post are extra validation of the idea.

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