Take Time, Change Doesn't Have To Be Painful

Namaste, y'all,

Transformation and healing are tough acts to move through, but when successfully completed, they are well worth it, for the results far exceed the struggles you must endure to get to the other side. However, few people will do the arduous work to get there. I know in my life, there were many times  I surrendered to my ego and dropped the healing process. Instead I chose  to numb my pain with drugs, booze, sex, and investing in anything that took the focus off me taking responsibility for my growth. Of course this is delusional behavior because reality would swing back around with the same issue demanding my attention. That's why I do believe the adage that the things we refuse to heal will continue to reveal themselves. How many of us will remain stuck on stupid instead of facing the truth of our ignorant perception of life? And why do we beat ourselves up after we've conquered a difficult situation? I think it's the realization about our need to be right, safe, and validated in the illusions we've become familiar with. There are many people comfortable in their discomfort no matter how clearly you explain and present the numerous options available for them to explore.

Change is integral in life, yet many of us refuse to accept it. We get bound in our looks, our tangible assets, titles, and beliefs. And life goes on, proving to us that this type of outlook will indeed leave you behind. Our thinking, feelings, and physical form are the most difficult to release the power of control over. What's worse is these are designed and destined to change and shift as long as we inhabit our bodies and exist on this earthly plane. Buddha knew exactly what was going on when he spoke (paraphrased), “Change is never painful. Only the resistance to change is painful.” This aligns with “what we resist, persists.” I can testify to how I spent many years living (more like surviving) in resistance to beliefs and outlooks on life. The only thing to show for it is years spent wasting valuable time choosing to be stunted (willfully ignorant) out of blind arrogance. I had to be right, no matter the cost (discomfort), to prove anyone wrong. And what's horrifying: I'm not alone! We have millions of souls that are hunkered down in their traditions, systems of class, economic status, religious affiliations, and cultural identities. And no matter how antiquated, toxic, and socioeconomically challenging it is for them, they will not shift their position. It's confounding how the human condition is stubborn to its detriment. 

Be gentle with yourself when you're facing a growth period, and others for that matter. Life is difficult enough as it is, and we all must go through profound shifts and changes as we age. When one is looking at life with a new mindset, it often comes with anger and confusion for feeling duped. It takes time to adjust to the new vision and to completely release the old. This is why I teach my clients to take it easy on themselves and those around them when they're experiencing an awakening. Life truly is over in certain aspects, and the future, while wide open and free, does feel daunting, if not downright intimidating. It certainly was for me when I got off drugs and the streets. It was difficult getting clean and reacclimated into a healthy routine that had also gone through changes. Again, nothing and no one stays the same; life truly is an illusion. The house and its exterior and interior may look the same, but the inhabitants don't, and neither do you. Give yourself the grace and latitude to surrender to your new version in its surroundings. Healing and transformation take time, so take your time to allow the process to unfold. A caterpillar doesn't turn into a butterfly overnight, as a human being must go through several months of radical changes before we leave our mothers wombs. Time is relative and necessary in providing us a thorough healing experience. So take it—your time. 

Love, light, and happy healing,

@Terry Perkins